


No Strings Attached

by these_emo_thoughts



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BDSM, Chapters to include additional tags and triggers, Depictions of Sex, Dom/sub Undertones, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Gangs, Gay, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Male Slash, Not with main couple, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Sex, Violence, depictions of violence, dubcon, kidlaw - Freeform, m/m - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:49:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 19
Words: 145,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/these_emo_thoughts/pseuds/these_emo_thoughts
Summary: In order to have the freedom to live a normal life, Trafalgar Law struck a deal with the devil. For one night a year, he will return to the man who made his life a living hell, and indulge him in his wildest fantasies. This has been ongoing for many years, and has been working well for the young surgeon who wants nothing more than to live with no strings attached.Enter Eustass Kid, the charming mechanic who swoops Law off of his feet the instant he sees him. He too is running away from a past that's catching up to him, a gang world he wants no part of anymore.Unbeknownst to Law and Kid, the time they had together was running out the moment they met...Exclusive to AO3 at this stage - additional tags and trigger warnings to be included at the beginning of each chapter!
Relationships: Donquixote Doflamingo/Trafalgar D. Water Law, Eustass Kid/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Comments: 233
Kudos: 286





	1. Wish We Never Met

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome! This is my first chapter fic in many, many years, and I'm both excited and nervous to post my work up for others to read. I've had an idea for a story like this for a while, but it wasn't until a recent stroke of inspiration (mainly the One Piece anime, lol) was I able to fully develop the plot to my liking. There will be smut between the intended pairing - Kid and Law - once all the establishment has been made, and there will be some other smut between the second main tagged pairing very soon. This fic will contain graphic depictions of sex and violence, and is malexmale, so if that's not something you'd think you'd enjoy then this may not be the fic for you. To those of you who are willing to join me on this journey, then I hope that you enjoy it!
> 
> I apologise in advance for any spelling/grammar mistakes. A shoutout to Neko for reading over this and helping me out with some feedback!
> 
> Tags for Chapter 1: Mentions of violence (shooting), swearing, mentions of abuse, mentions of non-con, mentions of dub-con, m/m sex, dom/sub undertones, handcuffs.

****

**15th of July, 2019**  
**Grand Line City Hospital**  
**11:29pm**

_Beep… Beep... Beep..._

The steady, stable beeping of a heart rate monitor in the operating room was a soothing sound to Doctor Trafalgar Law. The raven-haired doctor let out a long and heavy sigh as nurses and attendants in the room started switching off machines and prepping the patient to be taken into the Intensive Care Unit. The surgery had gone as well as it could, but the mood in the room was sombre due to the nature of the patients’ injuries. The injuries of most of their patients, actually. Just after midday today, what could only be described as a massacre occurred in the very heart of Grand City. Four unidentified individuals emptied their guns on the innocent people mulling about their day in what the police were describing as a random attack. The news updates were being brought into the operating room by nurses, who were also dealing with an influx of patients and their families brought into the waiting bay by emergency services since the incident occurred.

“That was the last one from the shooting.” The surgeon in charge, Doctor Kureha, said to the others in the room as she checked the clipboard and crossed off the last name on there. There were still patients with more minor injuries, but the life-threatening ones had been dealt with for the time being.

_Whether or not they’d live was a story that only time would tell, Law thought to himself._

“Let’s get this place cleaned up, we’ve got a changeover in 5 for the next batch of surgeons.”

The doctors nodded, getting to work on disposing of surgical tools and disinfecting the room. Doctor Law made sure someone would be sent in to wheel away the patient before leaving the surgery room to an adjacent washroom with a disposal bin and large wash basin. He peeled off his gloves revealing dark tattoos on his fingers and the backs of his tanned hands before removing his facemask and taking in a deep breath. He disposed of the mask and gloves and then headed to the basin to wash his hands, his brain numb and battered from the strict concentration and detailed nature of his work.

It didn’t help that he was wrought with anxiety over his plans for the night. Law wished he had a watch, but he took it off when it came to surgeries as he didn’t want it to get in the way – plus, he felt it unsanitary. There was always a clock on the wall, and he was sure one of his attending nurses would be able to provide him with the time when asked. But he always felt naked without a watch, now more than ever. Law was unsure how he had been able to keep a steady hand as he cut into his patients, considering he had so many things weighing heavily on his mind. Other than a few deep sighs that warmed the inside of his masks – which the other doctors and nurses dismissed as stress from the surgeries – Law was careful not to let his nervousness show.

There was one person who could pick up on it, though. She was making her way towards him right now, clipboard under her arm, and a grim look on her face.

“Good work in there, Doctor.”

Law turned his head, tired eyes trained on the doctor approaching him. Doctor Kureha was an older woman, but anyone with half a mind working at the hospital knew not to draw attention to her age, which was a mystery to almost all staff that hadn’t actually been around when she started working there so many years ago. The words “old” and “elderly” were practically forbidden around the spritely woman, who could have a surprising amount of energy when riled up over such an insult. She was tall for her age too, her bone thin frame never hunched forward, and she was only shorter than Law – who stood at six foot three – by only a few centimetres. In Grand City hospital, she was both respected and feared, and one of the best surgeons in the country.

Law aspired to be like her, though she often commented that his skills far surpassed hers. He wasn’t ever sure how to take those compliments, unused to such praise which made his face turn pink from unease.

“Thank you Doctor Kureha. The same can be said for yourself.” Law replied, turning back to the basin. He squirted liquid soap on his palms and began to rub his hands together, getting his entire arm under the spray. He watched as the blood splatters from the some of the surgery disappeared into the sink, coloured pink from the water. Kureha stood next to him, turning the knobs of the basin next to his and mirroring the action.

“What a shit show.” Kureha commented in an annoyed voice. “I hope those bastards get what’s coming to them.”

Law glanced at her. She was referring to the shooters – Law hadn’t even thought of them since he had started on his first patient. “Any updates from the news as to their whereabouts?”

“Not yet, though I hear the city is crawling with cops trying to track them down.” She said, shaking her head. Law could see the scowl on her face, and the narrowing of her eyes. If he wasn’t so tired from working a nightmarish twenty hour shift, he would most likely be emulating that anger she felt.

“Let’s hope they’re found quickly. It won’t be safe in the city until they’re arrested.” Law mumbled, staring back down at his hands. He was still washing them, brown eyes trained on the ‘DEATH’ tattoo on his fingers. He had gotten that tattoo many years ago, in a way to remind him of what exactly was at stake every time he entered the operating room. It typically motivated him to save lives, but today it was having the opposite effect. People had died today from wounds too great to come back from, and it angered the doctor that he couldn’t save them.

“I don’t like that look on your face Law.” Kureha said, turning the knobs of the basin so the water cut off.

“Hey now. It’s the only face I’ve got.” Law replied in a monotone voice, trying to make a light-hearted joke to mask the feelings of stress and anger bubbling underneath the surface of his skin. He couldn’t fool Kureha though. The woman was the very definition of perceptive, with eyes like a hawk and intuition that was to always to be trusted. She had also been Law’s mentor, and watched him grow throughout his years at the hospital from intern to trainee to doctor to surgeon. If there was anyone who knew Law better than himself, it was Kureha.

“Law-”

“I’m fine, doctor.” Law cut her off, a strained smile on his face.

“I don’t believe that for a second.” Kureha said sternly, narrowing her eyes.

“Well, I’m as fine as any person who has worked for almost a day can be.” Law said with a shrug. Kureha narrowed her eyes as Law cut off the water, reaching for a paper towel to dry his hands. “I will admit, I’m very tired.”

“Yeah. Yeah, you would be.” Kureha said with a nod, finally relenting on her suspicions. “You’re definitely taking the day off tomorrow kid. You weren’t even rostered on for today at all.” Kureha put a hand on Law’s shoulder. “Go home, Law. Get some rest so you can come back fresh, okay?”

“Thank you. I’ll take my leave now.”

Law managed to give Kureha a smile, scrunching up the paper towel and throwing it in the bin. As he was leaving the room, he heard Kureha call him again. “By the way Law, you were amazing in surgery today.” She said.

Law shrugged again, a hand resting on the doorknob. “I was just doing my job. Good bye Doctor.” He said simply. _And it wasn’t good enough._ It didn’t help that Law was very uncomfortable when it came to being praised. He didn’t know how to act or what to say.

And most of all he didn’t feel as though he deserved any kind of compliment.

Law left the room. Now that he had finished performing operations for the day, he began to feel the toll of the shift he had just completed. He stifled a yawn as he began to walk down the long hallway to the elevator, running a hand through his hair. Even though he was dreading where he had to be, he walked briskly. Being late would make things more worse than they were going to be, even though judging by how dark it was outside he was well on his way to that being a reality. Also, Law didn’t particularly want to talk to any of the other nurses or doctors right now, even though they did try. Unfortunately Law passed by many doctors who called his way to say hello or ask how the surgeries went or whether there was any new information about how the patients got there in the first place. Law would give a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes, not stopping as he said a quick greeting to those who actually had the nerve to stop him in his place after seeing him in his defeated, dishevelled state.

By the time he reached the damned elevator, Law felt even more drained of his energy and tolerance, if that were at all possible. All he wanted do was get to the lockers, get changed, and leave this godforsaken place – even if he’d be going to a more undesirable one.

**\----------**

The pickup car was already waiting for him by the time he reached his apartment. There wasn’t much traffic on the streets, but it did take longer than usual to get home tonight. The cab driver had to take an alternate route as the quickest one was blocked off by police tape; plus, the man felt the need to drive as if the road were made of eggshells. So damned slow, and not helping Law’s growing anxiety at all. Law paid the driver and got out of the taxi, eyes travelling to the sleek black sedan with tinted windows that was parked outside of his building. Law walked over to the car and knocked on the window. It lowered, and Law pursed his lips.

“Why are you here, Vergo?” Law asked the man sitting in the driver’s side. Instinctively, his hands balled into fists at his side.

Vergo looked at him through his shaded glasses. The man looked every bit as intimidating as Law had remembered from his childhood – he was tall, skin a shade darker than Law’s, with slicked back black hair that shined from the amount of strong-smelling gel he used to keep it tame. He didn’t have eyebrows but the skin where they would be shot upward on one side. If Law weren’t on edge from being late to this meeting, he’d have commented as he usually did on how ridiculous Vergo looked. It didn’t help that the man insisted on keep up his ‘trend’ of stupid lightning-shaped side burns, looking truly like the clown Law thought he was. Plus, like the slop he was, the man had fucking pieces of rice stuck to his cheek.

“Are you fucking asking for a beating? Where are your goddamn manners?” Vergo replied in a low, even voice. The words had Law narrowing his eyes, his fingernails digging into the palm of his hand.

“…What are you doing here, _Mister_ Vergo.” Law’s spat out, mockingly. He could practically feel the temperature drop as Vergo’s jaw set like steel, and the space where his eyebrows would be crinkled into a deep frown. The man wanted to be treated with respect, but Law had absolutely none of that for him.

They were silent for a moment, and Law wondered if Vergo was going to get out of the car and resort to what he typically did, being the savage barbarian he was – beat the ever-loving shit out of Law. Vergo shifted in his seat, unclipping his belt and leaning towards the passenger side. Instinctively, Law jumped back and away from the car, thinking the man was going to leap out of the opened window and attack him. Instead, Vergo opened the door before settling back in his seat.

“Coward.” Vergo said, clipping his seatbelt back in. “I’m obviously here to pick you up you little shit.”

Law’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. The last thing he wanted Vergo to think was that he was still scared of him after all these years, but he had failed miserably. Fuck. Could he do nothing right?

“He’s never sent you before.” Law mumbled.

“Well you’ve never been late before. You made Doflamingo wait hours, dipshit. And trust me when I say it’s going to hurt when he sees you.”

Law closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. _Calm down,_ he thought to himself, noticing an increase in the beating of his heart. _Explain yourself to him when you see him. Maybe… maybe he’ll forgive you. Maybe he’ll understand._ Law prayed for that outcome, although the uneasy, queasy feeling in his gut refused to let up. If Law had to put his faith in a god or his gut, he would go with the latter; the first ignored his prayers for years, and the second – even though warned him when bad things were going to happen – was almost always right.

At least he would have time to prepare for the impending doom awaiting him at the end of the drive.

It didn’t bode well that Doflamingo had sent Vergo. He knew how much Law hated him, and how the feeling was mutual on Vergo’s part. He must be incredibly pissed off to be toying with Law’s emotions before he even arrived at his destination.

“Alright…” Law started. “Let me grab my bag and I’ll be right out.” Law started to turn away from the car to his home, when he heard the driver’s side door of the vehicle open. He willed himself not to look back but heard Vergo’s heavy footsteps walking around the boot to come at his side and grab his arm roughly. That, and the familiar noise of a gun cocking had Law stopping in his tracks.

“No need. Doflamingo will take care of you like usual, though I don’t see why he does. A worthless shit like you really doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment.”

“I won’t be long-”

“Get in the fucking car, Law. I can’t kill you – boss’s orders – but he’s let me know I can make it hurt real bad if you cause trouble.” A wide, unkind smile spread across Vergo’s face. “So I dare you. Give me a fucking reason, Law.”

Law swallowed thickly, trying not to let his nervousness show. It was hard, but he lifted his head high and straightened his back. “As you wish.” He said in what he hoped was an even voice. Vergo lowered his weapon, stuffing it back in his coat when Law tentatively got into the passenger seat, buckling up. Vergo slammed the door none-too-gently, the noise making Law wince as he watched the larger man get into his seat and put the car into drive. Vergo peeled away from the kerb, and Law glanced out of the window with half-lidded eyes, wondering if he’d be able to catch some shut-eye. His head was aching terribly, his feet hurt, and there was a ringing in his ear that hadn’t seemed to have stopped since he left his workplace. He was thankful for the silence in the car, but also felt how unsettling it was to be there alone with Vergo. He contemplated turning on the radio to distract him from his heavy thoughts, but he didn’t want to ask the man. He’d never switch it on without asking – the last time he tried that, Vergo had grabbed his wrist and squeezed so hard he left Law with a fracture. The pain was still there on rainy days, a gruelling reminder of what Vergo was capable of doing to him.

They drove for a long time, but Law wasn’t paying attention to the dashboard clock, lost in his own thoughts. Doflamingo’s place was not in the city. It didn’t need to be. He had people that he trusted to take care of any affairs in Grand City, and would only ever show up if it was of utmost importance; picking up Law was considered one such instance. Instead, Doflamingo would sit upon his makeshift throne in his mansion all the way in Dressrosa, a city dripping with wicked, wealthy people who had too much money and time on their hands. Most of the inhabitants were hedonistic; the bars, clubs, and brothels were rolling in cash, every street harbouring at least one of that unholy trinity of sin. And controlling the patronage and the funds, selling the shit that the citizens would be doped up on, pulling the strings from the background, was Donquixote Dofla-fucking-mingo.

He called himself Law’s lover, although the sentiment made the young surgeon want to expel the entire contents of his stomach. To Law, Doflamingo was… well, he didn’t really know how to classify him. On one hand, Doflamingo was the man who had let a sickly Law into his family all those years ago, when Law had been found by him as a child after running away from the children’s care home he was placed in. On the other hand, Doflamingo was – and still is – Law’s abuser. He was the man whose smile was too wide to fit in his face, to the point where it looked creepy, and eyes always covered up with shades so Law was always left guessing what expression he was hiding. He was the man who put Law on a pedestal, a throne, high above others before kicking down the legs and watching him tumble helplessly until he was a sobbing heap at his feet. He had taught him how to use his body, moulded him into his desired image…

And then used it against him, punishing him for the sensitivities he had put in place there.

Law hated him with every fibre of his being…

Law was pulled from his thoughts when Vergo spoke again. “Straight to his room. Don’t talk to anyone – though they’ve been instructed not to talk to you anyway. It’d be a waste of breath.” Vergo told him in a gruff voice, shifting the gear up to put the car in park. Shit, were they here already? Law’s mouth was dry, and his hands were clammy with sweat. He nodded, wanting so very badly to lash out and say something back at Vergo for such a nasty comment; but that would be putting the nail in the coffin, at this stage.

Doflamingo’s wealth knew no bounds. His mansion stood taller than all other structures, cleaned every week so that the marble walls and decorative features did not so much as have a speck ruining the perfect architecture. The grass was always green – sprinklers on, every night, sometimes during the day, even in times of drought. No one would contest Doflamingo though – not unless they wished to have a bullet in their skull, or have the lives of their family members threatened. Doflamingo was a King, and Dressrosa was his kingdom.

As Law walked up the front steps to the door, he thought back to the day he and Doflamingo had made this arrangement. How long had it been? Seven years ago now? Law had been nineteen at the time, living more like a slave than a goddamn human being. Law had wanted out from this life of crime, wanted to leave the Donquixote family and do something goddamn useful with his life.

Once a year, on the 15th of July, Law would return to his old home and spend a night rekindling his relationship with Doflamingo. A night of sex and pleasure in exchange for the freedom to study and work and live his own damned life.

Law remembered it very clearly. He often played it again and again in his mind, as if in disbelief that it was actually a memory and not some kind of a dream...

The two had been lying together in bed, Law’s back against Doflamingo’s chest. They were covered in sweat, and Law’s throat had been burning from how he had screamed and shouted in both pain and ecstasy. The raven-haired man’s hands were cuffed securely in front of him, the chain between them quite short and restricting his movement. Doflamingo’s softening cock was still buried inside his hole, which had been emptied into so many times already that the man’s cum was leaking down his thighs.

 _“Doffy,”_ Law had uttered so softly in the darkness, voice slightly raspy. He wasn’t sure that Doflamingo heard him until after a beat of silence, the blonde grunted in response. _“Doffy… Do you have a dream?”_

There was a shifting in the bed next to him. _“What?”_

_“A dream. Something you desire most of all.”_

Doflamingo seemed hesitant to reply. Law didn’t engage in pillow talk, and if he did speak up it was to curse the man’s name. And he certainly never called him ‘Doffy’, despite Doflamingo’s many attempts to make him do so. _“You know the answer to that, Law.”_

_“Power?”_

_“Power.”_ Doflamingo confirmed.

 _“You don’t think you have enough of that already?”_ Law had asked. He knew that Doflamingo was already a powerful man, having established himself as a don’t-fuck-with-me mob boss with a large loyal following that was slowly taking over the territory in Dressrosa. Doflamingo now owned clubs and pubs, and was working his way to buying the casino’s off the more experienced mob boss Crocodile. He was never content with what he had, however, and made plans for more. His overzealous nature wouldn’t allow him to stop there. To Doflamingo, the world was his for the taking, and his obsession with obtaining power was always at the forefront of his mind.

 _“…I have a dream too, Doffy.”_ Law continued softly. _“I want to be a surgeon.”_

Doflamingo scoffed in his ear. _“And why the hell do you wanna do something like that?”_ Doflamingo had said in a low voice, tightening his hold on Law’s body.

_“I want to help people.”_

_“You’re helping **me** by warming my bed at night.”_ Doflamingo countered, running a long finger down Law’s body. Law shuddered under the touch, his hole naturally clenching around Doflamingo’s soft cock. It earned a small hiss from the man, who shifted his hips a little.

_“Is it wrong of me to want to help other people too?”_

Doflamingo was silent, and Law took it as a sign to keep going. He reached up with his bound hands to lightly stroke Doflamingo’s cheek, heart beating faster in his chest as the chains rattled. He never made such a bold move in his life, and it seemed to shock the both of them. Doflamingo’s breath hitched and he leaned into the touch, rubbing his cheek against Law’s trembling fingers.

 _“You saved me Doffy,”_ Law said softly, despite every fibre of his being screaming internally at him in protest. This was a blow to Law’s pride if he ever saw one, but he had to persist. He swallowed thickly, having gone through this conversation in his head a million times, but still not quite sure of how to say what he wanted. _“And… and I’m so thankful for you. I… truly can’t live without you.”_ Law’s eyes teared up. The lines between what was an act and what was true were starting to blur, sending him on the precipice of a panic.

Because there was some truth in what he was saying, and having to admit it fucked him up the most.

 _“You gave me my life when people had given up on me. I want to use that life to help others. And…”_ Deep breath in. Shaky breath out. _“And… I still want to see you too. The man who saved my life…”_

Doflamingo lay still next to him, wondering. Contemplating. _“If I let you go, how do I know you’re going to come back to me?”_ He asked.

_“We’ll make an agreement. A promise that neither of us will break.”_

_“Oh?”_

_“Once a year, I promise that I will come back to you Doflamingo,”_ Law told him. _“And let you do whatever you want with me. I’ll turn off my phone, I’ll drop all my studies, I won’t make any other plans. It’ll just be you and me and this bed. It’ll just be about us. No… no, it’ll be about **you,** Doffy.”_ Law whispered quietly, shifting in the bed and wincing slightly when the man’s length was finally pulled out of him. Doflamingo lay back onto the sheets and carefully watched Law’s movements. Well, Law assumed he was watching – the man still had his damned sunglasses on. 

Law switched his position, settling on the man’s lap, straddling his body with his legs on either side of Doflamingo. His hands moved down from Doflamingo’s face to his chest, rattling with every movement. His eyes glanced down, cheeks reddening, to that toned torso and the hard muscle of his abdomen, and the prominent v-shape that led down to that massive cock that rested between his legs.

 _“I can do that now.”_ Doflamingo said, reaching up to grab Law’s hips as if to make it a point. His fingernails dug into the abused flesh and Law looked away, knowing that was very true. _“If I wanted to, I could take those chains and permanently fix them to the headboard of my bed. I could buy a cage with a lock and key and keep you in there, like a pet, and only let you out when I want to fuck you until you pass out. I can do whatever I want with you now, so why should I let you go?”_

 _“Because I’m not happy,”_ Law whispered. If Doflamingo had any kind of sympathy for him after he said that, it didn’t show. But it was Law’s only card left to play. As a child, Doflamingo told him constantly that he wanted him to be happy – he wanted all of his children in the family to be happy. Their happiness meant his happiness, as long as it didn’t get in the way of business. Law hoped, prayed, that Doflamingo still held true to those ideals. _“You know that I’m not happy. Don’t you want me to be happy to see you? To stop trying to run away from you?”_ Law continued, mustering up the courage to bend down and kiss Doflamingo’s collarbone. Shame coursed through his body, and his eyes began to water. _“Can you imagine how much better it would be if I was just as happy to see you as you are to see me?”_ Law lightly ground his hips down onto Doflamingo’s lap. He heard a hitch in the man’s breath, Doflamingo’s fingers pressing in deeper. His cock was now stirring to life, Law’s hip movements sending shocks of lighting up both their bodies.

_“Once a year huh…”_

_“Once a year.”_

_“You promise?”_

_“I promise, Doffy.”_

Doflamingo reached to the side and grabbed the key to Law’s cuffs that were set on the bedside table. He held onto Law’s wrists as it inserted the key into the lock and let the metal fall somewhere on the bed. His long fingers rubbed circles into Law’s flesh, the touch oddly… gentle. It was not at all typical of the rough way in which Doflamingo manhandled him. _“If that’s what you really want Law… then show me. Show me how much you want me to agree to this. Give me a taste of what’ll happen if I say yes.”_

And Law did. It was the first time he knew the distinction between fucking and making love. There was a passion in this connection that differed greatly from their norm. Usually, everything was on fire. Doflamingo would hold him down, restrain him, choke him, slap him, verbally assault him as he slammed into Law again and again like a battering ram. They would both be panting, heavy breaths puffing out of their lips from the exertion, the bed creaking violently. The headboard would smack against the wall loudly in time with their fucking. _Bang bang bang bang bang._ Law would scream. Doflamingo would smirk. They were together, but so apart at the same time. They never kissed – they just fucked like wild animals, with complete loss of control and inhibition. It would be a cacophony of chaos and violence that continued past both their climax’s, with Doflamingo bucking his hips until every last drop was inside of Law’s tight heat while twisting and stroking Law’s oversensitive cock until he cried from the overflow of pleasure and pain.

For the first time, there had been none of that. This time… well, Law supposed that this was the closest thing that he and Doflamingo had gotten to ‘making love’ instead of just roughly fucking as they usually did. Law’s heart desired to be free – and the only way he was going to get that was through Doflamingo’s mercy. So he did what he had to do, began by bending down, closing his eyes, and connecting their lips together in a demure kiss. Doflamingo allowed him to control the pace, and so Law went slowly. Sensually, deepening in after the man hummed in pleasure. Law’s free hand reached down the length of Doflamingo’s body, lightly grasping already half-hard erection the older was sporting. Doflamingo gently rest his hands on Law’s supple ass, squeezing and kneading his flesh while Law began to pump him slowly and firmly. Law opened his mouth, inviting Doflamingo to taste him, to explore every crevice with his long tongue. Law began to rub against him, his body responding to their intimate nature, and he melted into the kiss as though he were ice cream left in the sun. His entire being was humming as they made out on the bed like lovers. When Law pulled away from the kiss, he too was hard, and he glanced down to see Doflamingo’s cock standing at attention against his stomach. The raven-haired man planted kisses all the way down Doflamingo’s body, trying to get every bit of flesh he could find. He kissed his neck, his collarbones, his chest, his abs, his stomach. Lower and lower until he reached the large, weeping cock that fucked him thoroughly almost every night. _“So big…”_ He whispered, knowing how much Doflamingo liked it when Law submitted by praising him in such a way. He kissed the bead of precum on the tip of Doflamingo’s cock before opening wide and taking the man in his warm mouth. Law had given Doflamingo blowjobs before – the man loved nothing more than forcing Law onto his knees and shoving himself into his mouth, gripping his hair tightly and fucking him so hard he choked. But he let Law take control this time, let Law make him slowly come undone with his kisses and sucks and kitten licks. And when Law felt as though Doflamingo’s length was thoroughly wet enough, he pulled off and once again straddled his hips. His shaky fingers held onto the man’s cock, and guided it right into his ass. He hadn’t prepared himself there because the man’s cock had been inside him only moments ago, but there was still a stretch that stung and had Law sucking in a deep breath before moaning loudly. Doflamingo groaned, whispering about how fucking tight the man in his hands was, bringing Law’s head down so that he could kiss those sweet lips again. Law’s eyes fluttered shut as he let Doflamingo explore his mouth once more, while at the same time shifting in the man’s lap. He rode Doflamingo like that, slowly pushing his body up with his knees before sinking down until he was completely and utterly full of the man. Doflamingo responded in kind, lazily pressing his length inside Law’s tight heat whenever Law sank down on him. They both were moaning, Law’s eyes fluttering in delight as he rode Doflamingo, peppered in sweet kisses from the man below him for what felt like hours. They both shuddered when they came, Doflamingo stroking Law to completion while his own cock filled him up to the brim with his semen.

If Law had had a gun to his head that asked him to choose how he’d rather Doflamingo fuck him, Law would take the hit instead of make a decision. He didn’t know which he’d prefer to deal with. The rough, painful sex that affected his body and physical endurance; or the soft, slow, gentle passionate motions that kept his body sated, but his mind a complete nervous wreck. For the first time, Law had willingly given his body to Doflamingo, latching onto him as if he was a life line and Law was drowning at sea. Their bodies moved in a different kind of synchronisation than usual. Doflamingo must have felt it too, how wonderful it was for Law to finally submit to him in the way he had dreamed of for years. The way he embraced him… Law couldn’t remember the last time he had such a tight, warm, _secure_ hug such as this from anyone, let alone Doflamingo. It scared him, how comfortable his body was, being held close by the man he despised, his thick raven locks being stroked delicately, soothing him to sleep.

The small whisper in his ear came to him at the same time he felt his body being pulled under a wave of exhaustion.

_“Alright Law. I accept.”_

Law sobbed and held the man tightly. Doflamingo wiped his tears and rocked him to sleep, and Law slept soundly for the first time in years.

Law still didn’t know if treating Doflamingo to his sexual fantasy was the reason the man had agreed. Doflamingo marched to the beat of his own drum, and had no qualms into forcing a person into doing whatever he wanted, or even going back on his word. Law had been worried that after they fucked that Doflamingo would just chain him up again as a permanent fixture to his headboard as he so often told him he would, and laugh mockingly in his face at how naïve the younger boy was to think he’d ever agree to such a term. But that didn’t happen, and Law was beyond elated that he didn’t even bat an eyelash when Doflamingo’s only stipulation was that he wished to be the one to pick the date.

Having known the importance of dates in his own life, Law should have realised that Doflamingo was going to be testing him when he requested to pick it. There was one thing that Law should have suspected, but hadn’t expected.

The date.

The _damned_ date.

15th of July.

Rosinante’s birthday. The man who Law _truly_ owed his life to. Doflamingo’s younger brother. Doflamingo’s _dead_ younger brother, shot by his own fucking hand.

Rosinante…

His heart.

His Corazon…

_Cora-_

Doflamingo had watched him carefully though his sunglasses, looking for any kind of indicator that Law’s heart wouldn’t be in it. But he couldn’t just abandon his plan because of Doflamingo’s trump card. He swallowed and shrugged, sounding indifferent when he said the date was perfect, despite feeling as though his heart had been pierced with an arrow.

Within the next week, Law had been enrolled at Grand City University. He didn’t question how Doflamingo managed to do it, but figured it probably cost a pretty penny. Not that Doflamingo couldn’t afford it, and even now – seven years later – he hadn’t asked for anything in return. Law had needed to take some examinations to prove he was even able to study medicine, and he passed them with flying colours, baffling the tutors and lecturers at the university. Law’s late parents had been doctors, and from a young age he had been interested in following their footsteps. Doflamingo had an extensive library in his mansion, though he didn’t use it much. No-one but Law did really, and the boy studied on his own for years. He was glad he had been so persistent – it paid off greatly in the end.

Presently, Law willed his throbbing legs to take him further into the mansion. It had been recently refurbished and redecorated, and Law felt very much out of place amongst the new items. He kept his gaze down, watching his feet and ignoring the chatter in the room next to the staircase. He didn’t want to see the faces of the people who had grown up with him, didn’t need their contempt and hatred and scorn. He walked up the winding staircases and down chandelier-lit corridors until he was in front of Doflamingo’s sanctuary. 

The ‘King’s’ room...


	2. Nowhere to run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This entire night was turning out to be a reminder to Law about what he was really good for. Doflamingo owned him, mind, body, and soul.
> 
> And now he owned when Law could cum, too.
> 
> He was nothing but this man’s fucking pet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I've mentioned before in the comments, this story is a KidxLaw (anticipated to start in either Chapter 5 or 6 depending on if I can combine a few to get to it more quickly), but this chapter is DoflaxLaw. I'm so sorry if this isn't a pairing that is to your liking - you can feel free to skip this, as it's purely explicit smut between those two characters (and there are some follow-up chapters that discuss the aftermath). And if DoflaxLaw IS your cup of tea... well, I hope you enjoy despite the nature of the explicit scenes uwu  
> (I do have another story where Doflamingo isn't such a bad guy to Law - but I'm not even thinking about that until this one is all done~)
> 
> I thank you for your comments, and hope you continue to read this story to get to the nice juicy bits with the intended end-game couple~ Again, I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes. I'm sure there are a few I've missed uwu
> 
> Tags and warnings for Chapter 2: Dub-con, (perhaps more non-con?), explicitly malexmale sex scene, BDSM(ish?), slight mentions of past abuse (sexual/physical), manipulation, victim blaming, dom/sub tones, master/pet relationship, butt plug, beatings, choking, cock cage, orgasm denial, collar & leash, mentions of other sex toys, verbal humiliation.  
> (I've tried to get all tags in there, but feel free to let me know if I've forgotten something).

Law was suddenly glad he hadn’t eaten in hours. He was queasy with fear, and delirious from exhaustion, to the point where was sure he’d be throwing up if he wasn’t running on an empty stomach. All his senses were screaming at him to run away, begging him to leave this mansion and go _home,_ but he couldn’t. He simply…

He couldn’t leave. He had to do this, otherwise Doflamingo would go back on their agreement and take away everything he had been working for.

_Come on, Law. It’s just one night. You’ve done it before._

_One._

_Night._

_Then you’ll be free for another year._

The door did not creak as it opened. It was smooth, well-oiled. The room was dark, except for the large bed that faced him from the wall opposite the door. There were candles on either side of the bed set on the side tables, illuminating the room in yellow and casting eerie shadows on the wall.

“Close it.”

Law’s blood became ice in his veins at the tone of voice. Usually, it would be playful. There’d be a hint of comradery, of teasing. It annoyed Law, but he had to admit it made the ordeal slightly more bearable. Now however, he couldn’t detect anything of that sort, and it frightened him.

Doflamingo was _angry._

Law obeyed, shutting the door silently behind him. He didn’t know whether or not it was a good thing that Doflamingo was still clothed. The tall, blonde haired man was leaning against the headboard, his white shirt unbuttoned, revealing the expanse of his toned chest and abdomen. He wasn’t wearing a belt to hold his zebra patterned pants up – instead, the brown length of leather was in his hands, being twisted and turned with impatient fingers. On the bed were other items, but Law couldn’t focus enough to make out what they were. He was watching the belt, and how Doflamingo played with it, making the pink feathers of that ridiculous-looking coat he wore ruffle with every shift of his arms.

“Strip.”

Law swallowed thickly and hesitated. It didn’t always start like this, so harsh and commanding and fear-instilling. The first few years of their deal, Doflamingo would treat him sweetly. The entire point of this ordeal was that Law came to him willingly, would force a smile on his face that implied he was happy to see the man who had made his life hell. Doflamingo – whether he believed Law or not – returned his side of the deal by kissing the younger passionately and fucking him in a mix of gentle pushes and deep thrusts that left Law squirming and yearning for more.

It changed. Law didn’t know why. Doflamingo had taken out his frustration on Law multiple times when he had been younger, up until he had agreed to his deal. In Law’s opinion, everything was going fine for the man – his gang was doing unbelievably well in spreading their parasitic power over major city centres, he was had so much dough he was virtually swimming in it, and he had obtained the respect of important individuals in the underground scene. It seemed as though the more power and popularity and notoriety Doflamingo attained, the greedier and megalomaniacal he became. His temper became shorter with an easily lit fuse, and Law found himself being treated like the most precious gem in the world to a piece of garbage floating through the air.

What’s worse, is that as much as he abhorred the degrading and humiliating treatment, there was a part of him that felt he wanted it. Needed it. _Deserved it._

Fuck, he was all sorts of messed up, and he fully blamed that feather-coat wearing fucker on the bed.

Not wishing to risk Doflamingo commanding him again, Law put his hesitation aside and followed the order in the hopes that it would make the impending doom all the more easier on him. He slipped off his shoes and toed off his socks, reaching to the waistband of his trousers and pulling them down long, slender legs. He liked to fold his clothes neatly – it irked him when they were left crinkled and scrunched up on the floor, but Law didn’t feel like now was the time to draw that action out.

His shirt was off next, dropped besides his pants. His briefs – black, cut in a way that showed half his cheeks in the back – were the final item to go. It was cold, but Law felt warm – from embarrassment, fear, anticipation, he didn’t even know. There was a blush on his flustered face and goose bumps on his skin.

“Come.”

 _Left. Right. Left. Right._ Law wanted to collapse. His knees were practically knocking. It was so unfair, lord – he had been standing up for surgery for hours, _hours,_ and he couldn’t hold himself up anymore from the utter terror of what he was about to experience. He stood in front of Doflamingo, who had moved so that he was at the edge of the bed, long legs on either side of Law’s much smaller frame. Doflamingo was a good couple of heads taller than him, which was saying something as Law was quite tall himself. Even standing in front of him while Doflamingo sat on the bed, Law was still shorter than eye level.

“Kneel.”

Law obeyed, getting onto his knees in front of the man. Doflamingo was quiet for a beat, head cocked to the side as he observed Law through the shades he refused to remove from his face. Even when they slept together, they were there. Obscuring any kind of emotion Doflamingo was feeling, putting him in a complete position of power while Law was forced to guess, stay on his toes, and watch his pathetic reflection cowering back at him.

Roughly, Doflamingo discarded the belt to the side and grabbed Law’s chin in an iron grip to pull him forward.

“Why the fuck are you late, Law?” He said in a sinister sounding whisper, rubbing his calloused thumb up Law’s cheek. Law imagined his voice coming straight out of a scorned spirit or creature from a horror film. His tone was soft in volume, but by no means did it lack menace. It was practically dripping in hatred, and the new emotion of shame combine with the other thousand-and-one things he was going through.

“I-I… I-I…”

Goddamn it, he couldn’t even speak he was so shaken up. Law was like a fucking walking dictionary, his mind quick and intelligent, his words quipped and eloquent – yet he couldn’t even spit out an apology right now, Doflamingo having such a paramount effect on him even years later.

“Well?”

And still, Doflamingo wished to hear it.

“I-I had w-work… S-s-sorry…” Law stuttered, casting his eyes down in crippling shame. He couldn’t bear to see his reflection in those shades anymore. He looked like a kicked animal. It was pathetic. 

He was pathetic.

Doflamingo’s grip tightened and Law squeezed his eyes shut. Even being on his knees, he still felt like he was unable to hold himself upright anymore, shaky legs too far gone. He was relying solely on that rough vice around his chin to keep him up. “You think your apology is worth a damn?” The nails were digging into his skin now. “Nothing you say is going to change what you did to me. You made me _wait,_ Law. You broke your own agreement. Isn’t that right?” Doflamingo’s tongue darted out and he licked his bottom lip. There wasn’t a hint of a smile on Doflamingo’s face, and when Law didn’t answer he yanked him forward roughly once more. “Answer me.”

“Y-y-yes, I-I did…” Law said through shaky teeth. 

“So that begs the question, pet, why should I keep up _my_ end of the deal?”

Law’s eyes widened, and he could practically see the life he had built for himself over these seven years slip from his fingers, crumble right in front of him. “N-no! P-please, D-doffy-!” Law exclaimed in a panicked voice.

A wickedly wide smile appeared on Doflamingo’s face and Law was in such a state of shock he felt like he couldn’t breathe. Not once throughout the course of their agreement had Doflamingo ever suggested anything about changing their deal. Law was unsure whether it was because he had forgotten about him or was simply satisfied with seeing the man once a year, but it had worked. Never once had the man try to take Law’s freedom away, and the fact that it could so easily come to an end because of a fucking freak accident that led to a long hospital shift left the young doctor in utter disbelief. The worst part was, Law couldn’t even blame the man if he decided to end it now. It would all be Law’s fault that Doflamingo was dangling his freedom like this in front of him. He had been the late one.

 _He_ had broken their deal.

“Is this your subtle way of telling me you want to move back in with me, pet?” Doflamingo asked, raising an eyebrow, that Joker-like smile never leaving his face as he stroked Law’s cheek lovingly. The calm before the storm.

“N-no…” Law’s voice was shaky as his wide eyes filled with tears that shone in the dim lighting of the room. Doflamingo cackled like a goddamn witch at the desperation in Law’s voice, the sound of it echoing around the room, bouncing off the walls and aggravating Law’s tormented state further. He had been so obedient for years, had that accounted for anything? Wouldn’t Doflamingo show him mercy for one day?

“Doffy _please,_ ” Law begged, throat tightening. “I-I want to be here with you! Only with you Doffy, I-!”

Law was unprepared for the fist that connected with his face. Hadn’t even seen Doflamingo form one in his other hand before he socked it straight into Law’s cheek, the impact sending the unsteady man falling into a heap on the floor. He reached up, gingerly holding his burning cheek and wincing at the pain that immediately spread through his skull. Doflamingo stood, the candles flickering lightly from his movement. His shadow loomed over Law’s smaller, shivering body. He winced, pulling back when Doflamingo stepped forward slowly, his stupid pointed toed shoes clicking on the floor. He walked lazily, and the wait for whatever was going to happen next was destroying Law’s nerves. “P-please…” Law begged in a low voice, praying for clemency while fat tears finally broke through the duct, sliding down his face. God he hated crying. He hated showing any kind of weakness, but Doflamingo stirred so many feelings of hatred and pain within him that it was all too easy to fall back into that scared little boy he had been all those years ago. No family, sick with an illness that no one wanted to treat him for, taking away the one person from him that meant a damn-

Law flinched when Doflamingo drew his right foot back, a wide, toothy smile on his face. Law braced himself for the impact, squeezing his eyes shut before he was kicked right in the stomach. The blow connected at his ribs and Law shouted, crumpling in on himself on the floor while his face scrunched up in pain. That same foot pressed down on his chest, holding Law on the floor.

“Does it hurt pet? I thought you looked forward to our meetings. Where’s that pretty smile of yours, hm?”

Law whimpered, daring to cast his gaze up at the man who looked at him expectantly while he shook on the floor. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his large pink feathered coat, that goddamn fashion monstrosity making his already large body feel even more intimidating and grand. Sucking in a deep breath, Law forced a smile upon his face, staring up at him. His lips quivered in their efforts to hold their position on his aching face, and he could feel the ends try to turn downward as he held back more sobs. He had to smile. He had to prove to Doflamingo that he was happy to be here with him, he couldn’t have his freedom taken away from him now, he couldn’t he couldn’t he couldn’t-

“That’s better pet,” Doflamingo cooed, bending forward and reaching for Law’s thick hair. Law flinched, waiting for another blow when instead he received fingers gently petting the top of his head. His reaction seemed to delight the older man and Law hated himself further for exposing his fear to him more than he had already. “So pretty. You’ll look so much prettier when I’m done with you won’t you?” He asked, dragging his fingers down from Law’s hair to his slender neck. He tightened his hold, pulling a helpless Law up with him. Doflamingo dragged him back to the bed, sitting himself on the edge of it and pulling Law onto his stomach to lay him across his lap. The man’s hands ran down Law’s body to his narrow hips, fingernails digging into flesh as he lifted Law’s lower body up so his ass was invitingly high in the air. Wherever Doflamingo’s hands made contact with the soft skin, a trail of ice and gooseflesh was left in its wake, the light hairs on Law’s arms sticking upward. Law shuddered, full-bodied, while his heart raced in his chest from the light touches the man was ghosting along his skin. Despite the coldness, the ice, the fear that made Law freeze in the man’s lap, his body began to hummed with adrenaline, and when he felt Doflamingo’s large hand knead his the round rump of his ass, Law let out a breathy whine. Doflamingo’s parted Law’s cheeks to expose the tight puckered hole, inspecting it while he rubbed the pad of his thumb around it lightly. The contact began to shoot warm feelings down to Law’s crotch, and he shifted uncomfortably in the man’s lap, knowing there was no way he could adjust to relieve himself. “How long has it been since you were touched here, pet?” Doflamingo asked.

“F-few months.” Law wasn’t stupid enough to lie in response in Doflamingo’s question. Nowhere in their spoken agreement was it stipulated that they were exclusive – each could fuck around with whoever they wanted. Law just found it more convenient for him if he hadn’t engaged in any kind of intercourse before meeting with Doflamingo, as the man relished in deluding himself that he alone owned the man’s body. It also saved him from particularly rougher-than-usual treatment, where Doflamingo would mock-complain about how his pet’s _“slutty whorish hole”_ was too loose for him, that he had to _“break him in”_ all over again. In addition, the man that Law had been seeing would cut off whatever relationship they had with him the very next day, and completely ignore any calls or texts the raven-haired doctor sent his way. Doflamingo’s jealousy and control knew no bounds, and Law often wondered what his ex-partners had been offered in exchange for severing their ties with him.

Without lubricant, Doflamingo breached Law’s ass with his pointer finger, attempting to slide it in despite the naturally tight resistance. Law willed his body to relax as the long digit forced its way through to the middle knuckle, but it was easier said than done considering how unbelievably tense he was. Doflamingo grunted, seemingly happy with the tightness of Law’s hole before pulling out and grabbing the lube next to him on the bed. For that, Law was thankful – being taken dry was a horror unlike any other, and the recovery process was not pleasant.

Doflamingo poured a sufficient amount of the liquid on his fingers, rubbing his thumb and index fingers together to lather them up. He also poured some from the bottle at the top of Law’s crack, the cold gel making Law shudder once more before the probing finger returned. Doflamingo resumed his actions, forcing his finger through none-too-gently. Law squirmed, resisting all base urges to run and get away as Doflamingo prodded and poked at his hole. Shortly after, his middle finger joined, pushing in and hooking and pulling and making Law squirm further, back arching instinctively. His ministrations were pleasant to Law, whose member had started to stir to attention from Doflamingo’s fingers and the friction of his naked cock rubbing against his coarse pants. His pink blush darkened as he felt his cock start to harden, and he brought his thighs together as if that would do anything to stop his body’s natural reaction. Doflamingo’s free hand cracked down hard on Law’s left cheek in response, causing the younger to cry out in surprise while his thrusting fingers continued to push in and out in sloppy prep. Law bit his lip, whining when the fingers were removed and something larger – Law assumed a dildo or butt plug – was poking at his slightly red-rimmed hole.

“Fucking hell, hold still,” Doflamingo warned, cracking another slap down on Law’s ass in the same spot as earlier. Law panted, trying to obey and keeping his eyes trained on the pattern of the carpet on the floor as whatever toy Doflamingo decided to insert inside him was pushed through. His hole still resisted, the head of the toy quite wide and stretching him more than Doflamingo’s fingers had, and it hurt despite the preparation. A small, keening noise came from Law’s throat as he felt his sensitive area stretch painfully to accommodate the cone-shaped toy, Doflamingo holding him steady by his waist as he forced it through. By the feel of it, it wasn’t too thick – definitely not as much as Law knew Doflamingo’s cock would be – but it was long, and any slight movement in a certain direction would have it brushing up lightly against his prostate. When the flared base was pushed flush against Law’s crack, and the toy finally swallowed by Law’s hole, he was uncomfortably hard and panting loudly in the silent room.

“How many hours did you work today, pet?” Doflamingo asked, running his fingernails up Law’s rump.

“T-twenty,” Law replied through clenched teeth, steeling himself for what he knew was going to happen. He was expecting a spanking, was waiting for the familiar crack of firm flesh against flesh. But that wasn’t what hit him. Instead, Law heard the rattling of the discarded leather belt, and before he could beg for mercy it was already being brought down hard upon his ass. Law cried out at the feeling, the leather snapping against his cheeks, making Law jerk upwards in Doflamingo’s lap. His ass started was stinging, and the cursed plug pushed further within him at his movements.

“Count.”

Law whimpered, biting his lip and taking a breath to calm himself in preparation for this punishment. Impatiently, Doflamingo’s free hand threaded around Law’s neck and squeezed hard, making the younger jerk and choke at the same time. “A-ahck! O-one!” Law finally shouted out, but Doflamingo’s hand in his hair remained. Shortly, the second smack of leather echoed in the room as the belt hit its target and Law cried out then moaned, once again thrusting forward from the force. His clenched ass held the plug inside of him tightly, the jerking motion sending waves of pleasure that coupled with the pain of the belting. “T-two!”

Again. And again. Twenty times for a long twenty hour shift. Law was sobbing by the end of it, a long line of saliva dripping from the side of his mouth onto the carpet, mixing with the wet tears that streamed down his face. His ass cheeks and the upper back of his thighs were on fire, and he was sure that the skin had been broken more than once from the sheer severity of Doflamingo’s hits. When Doflamingo pressed a finger down onto the abused flesh, Law screamed from the pain, choking on his sobs as the man chuckled. “Come now pet, it can’t be that bad.” Doflamingo said in a lazy voice, lifting Law off of him by his hair and shoving him onto the ground in between his legs. “After all, your little cock there seems to have enjoyed every single minute of it like the goddamn slut I know you are.”

It was true, and Law turned his red face to the side in shame. His rock-solid erection pulsed uncomfortably between his legs, dripping with precum and standing at attention bobbing against his stomach. Law was unsteady even on his knees, thin frame shaking from exhaustion and pain, his ass throbbing from the hard hits, the plug still nestled inside of him ever so close to his prostate. Unintentionally, he began rocking on his knees, swivelling his hips to try and press the tip of the toy against his sensitive area. This seemed to amuse Doflamingo, who let out a dark chuckle at Law’s desperate whines. He put a stop to it however, threading his long fingers into Law’s locks and pulled him forward towards his crotch, pants tented from his own erection. “You fucking slut. Put that mouth of yours to good use, pet, and maybe I’ll let you fuck yourself on something much better than that plug.”

Law swallowed thickly, trembling fingers reaching up to unzip the printed trousers. Doflamingo wasn’t wearing any underwear, and his thick cock sprung out of his pants proudly. Law’s mouth began to water, a purely Pavlovian response which had Doflamingo smirking above him. Of all the people Law had sucked off, Doflamingo was undoubtedly the most well-endowed. Law mentally cursed Mother Nature, hating that the man he despised possessed the one cock that could leave him completely satisfied in every way. Doflamigo’s member was long and thick, and it was unfair that the damned bastard knew exactly how to use it to drive his bedpartners mad.

“Do I need to repeat myself?” Doflamingo said in a low voice when Law hesitated.

Immediately, Law opened his mouth and closed his eyes as his lips wrapped around the head of Doflamingo’s cock. The head was already shiny with precum, the man getting off from foreplay so much more when Law was bound or beaten, utterly at his mercy. He was bitter-tasting, but all too familiar to Law so his body didn’t reject it as it did with some others. It hadn’t for a long time. He suckled the tip, bringing one hand up to steady himself against Doflamingo’s powerful thigh while the other reached for the man’s heavy sac. His body moved on its own despite his fatigue, eyes glazing over as he took more of Doflamingo’s cock inside his mouth, as if Law under a spell to please. He sucked and licked the flesh in front of him, making his way down to the base. Whatever his mouth hadn’t gotten to yet, his hands were taking care of it – stroking the base, fondling his balls, trailing across the prominent vein on the underside. Law glanced up, grey eyes meeting Doflamingo’s – the man had taken off his sunglasses, and was looking directly at him. The contact made Law shudder and he immediately flickered his eyes downward to focus on his task of pleasuring the man, who was still fully clothed while Law was naked on his knees. Law felt Doflamingo arch his hips upward, sending a silent message to Law that he wanted more of his cock inside that wet, warm, inviting mouth.

Of course, Law obliged.

“Fucking slut,” Doflamingo mumbled, watching as Law’s mouth stretched wide to accommodate the girth of his cock as he swallowed more of it inside of him. Law’s head was held still as Doflamingo’s hips rolled backwards and forwards, fucking himself into the man’s mouth. “Such a fucking whore for my cock aren’t you?”

Law nodded, as best as he could considering his mouth was stuffed full of cock, bobbing his head up and down until it was almost hitting the back of his throat. He felt Doflamingo shift again, was gearing up for the man to start pounding into him violently before all of a sudden he felt a huge pressure on his crotch. Law moaned loudly, stilling for a moment while Doflamingo smirked at him. One of the man’s feet had found its way in between Law’s legs, and he pressed down unforgivingly hard on Law’s sensitive erection. The bastard still had his shoes on, too. Law sucked in a deep breath from his nose and he moaned in frustration again when Doflamingo used the toe end of his pointed shoe to lift up behind his balls, circling them a little before pressing down again, lightly stepping on Law’s cock and watching his body crumple from the pain. Law tried to pull off of Doflamingo’s crotch but the man’s hands tightened in his hair as he pulled his foot away. Law took a moment to take another breath with his noise before-

_“Mmfph-urk!!”_

A muffled shout erupted from Law’s throat as Doflamingo simultaneously smashed his foot down on Law’s crotch while forcibly shoving his head forward to the base of his cock.

Law’s vision blurred and his entire body shook. The fire in his stomach erupted from the surging pain of Doflamingo’s hard shoe pressed down on his sensitive cock. The man’s foot kept a steady pressure on his cock which was smashed up against the sole of his shoes, still uncomfortably hard yet leaking with precum while he chocked. He was unable to breathe, nose held down right to the base of Doflamingo’s crotch while his mouth was full of a cock shoved so far down in his mouth that it was blocking his airways, the blonde pubes at the base tickling his nose and adding to the unpleasantness of his situation. Doflamingo orgasmed, spurting ribbons of semen down the back of his throat, Law seeing white spots in his vision as he gagged and heaved and struggled desperately for air. Law tried to reach up and push Doflamingo away but he was incredibly weak at the moment; he flailed instead, clawing at the air while he choked around the man’s exploding cock, listening to Doflamingo grunt in delight above him. His body started to spasm and jerk uncontrollably, pain from his still stepped-on crotch and lack of oxygen starting to make Law see black before finally, _finally,_ Doflamingo pulled him off of his cock and removed his foot. Law wheezed and sputtered, sucking in oxygen as his shaking body collapsed onto the floor.

“Jesus fucking Christ you are such a goddamn whore Law.” Doflamingo said with amusement, his eyes dark with lust as he looked down on a still-hard Law lying dejected on the floor. “That’s new. I didn’t know you liked getting stepped on like that. You really are trying to be a good fuck toy now aren’t you pet?”

That mocking voice infuriated Law, who could do nothing but stare up at the man in a daze as he tried to catch his breath. His heart was hammering so hard in his chest he was worried it was going to break skin and just expel itself from his body. A thin sheen of sweat covered his tanned skin, lips swollen, cock aching, ass still working around the toy within him. Fuck, his entire body was on _fire_ and his throat was so sore he couldn’t even swallow without it hurting him. “Y-yes Doffy…” Law managed to wheeze out, clearing his scratchy throat.

Law winced when he saw Doflamingo’s hand reach for him. “I’m not done with you.” He said, guiding Law up. Law whined, his cock red and practically pulsing as it strained against his stomach. It was the first thing Doflamingo touched when Law was in front of him on the bed, his breath hitching at the ghost-like sensation of fingertips that found its way on his over-sensitive length. “Such a healthy boy. You’ve grown so well over the years,” Doflamingo cooed. Law hated the way he spoke down to him like this, didn’t want him to refer to the years when he had been younger and still trapped in Doflamingo’s clutches. The man’s long hands reached back to Law’s ass, pushing the plug in and out before giving both cheeks a hard slap. Law yelped, jerking forward into Doflamingo’s body, squeezing his eyes shut from the searing pain and pleasure that shot up through his body.

Doflamingo chuckled, reaching to the side of the bed where his other toys of the night were laid out. Law couldn’t see them all in the dim lighting, but when the man brought the item he had grabbed and brought it closer, Law let out a low whine, body starting to shiver. The metal cock cage in his hands glistened from the light of the candles next to the bed. No no no he _hated_ the restriction of that fucking thing, it was so damned tight and shouldn't at _all_ be used on a rock solid cock oh god no no no. Doflamingo pet his hair, sensing that Law was on the precipice of a panic, trying to ineffectually push himself away from the man after seeing that metal prison. He shushed him, cooed at him like he really was a fucking pet. “None of that. You were late. If you want to cum, you’re going to have to show me that you still want me uphold the deal, pet.” He said, reaching down for Law’s hard length, giving it a couple of pumps and squeezes before tenderly gripping his balls. The panic was evident on Law’s face and he tried to push himself out of the man’s lap, but Doflamingo’s grip was too strong and soon he was rendered useless when the base of his cock was squeezed tightly. Law wheezed, resting his forehead on Doflamingo’s shoulders in surrender and gripping tightly onto the man’s muscular back when the other guided his cock and balls into the metal ring. It took a few tugs, each of which had fresh tears spilling from Law’s eyes and he sobbed into the fabric of Doflamingo’s shirt. It nestled tighly against his crotch. Then he stuffed Law’s dick into the metal prison, relishing in the sobs Law had for him as he squeezed his penis down to the ring. It took some time – the metal was hard and unforgiving, and Law couldn’t keep still despite the threats and smacks from Doflamingo. When the top of it finally reached the ring and was inserted in, Doflamingo took a small padlock that had come with the contraption and attached it between the two separate pieces. He closed it up, locking them together, and trapping Law’s dick for however long he wanted, the man a shivering, sobbing mess atop him.

“Good pet,” Doflamingo practically purred in his ear, flicking Law’s trapped cock. “Should I throw away the key now? Keep you in this forever?” He continued, watching the flashes of pain and panic that crossed Law’s face.

_“No no no please Doffy don’t-”_

The loud laugh that met Law’s ears made him sob again. The man tried his best not to focus on the pain that was coursing through him, and the arousal pooling in his stomach that was going to remain there until Doflamingo decided to set him free. Using a cock ring had been fun once upon a time, the loss of control oddly arousing to Law, but during their years together Doflamingo had turned something playful and teasing to unbelievably brutal and punishing, especially when he upped the ante and brought that metal cock cage out instead of just the silicone ring. That was always much worse to deal with, Law’s sensitivity through the roof and his frustration at not being able to do a single thing about it running high. He hated to admit it, but when he finally was allowed to cum after being released, it was more intense and better than anything else Law had experienced. Fuck. Anyone else but Doflamingo and he’d be _fine,_ hell he even used one on himself during his days off when he was lazing about at home just so that his release would feel that much more wonderful, but when the man did this to him it just hit Law how much the he owned him. It’s like no matter what he did, what he said, there was simply nowhere to run. This entire night was turning out to be a reminder to Law about what he was really good for. Doflamingo owned him, mind, body, and soul.

And now he owned when Law could cum, too.

He was nothing but this man’s fucking pet.

_He hated it he hated it he hated it-_

Law whined again, as the man’s deft fingers stroked his trapped cock. Within his own mind, Law was completely at a loss. He shouldn’t feel so excited about another person having such control over him, right? Being at another man’s mercy of when he was allowed to fucking cum? Law had made this deal so he _wouldn’t_ be controlled like this, so he could be in charge of his own life and decisions, his own damned self. He drew it up to being over-tired and fatigue, but deep down there was still clarity in Law’s mind. How he wished to drown out those pesky inner thoughts that refused to pepper down, even in times of exhaustion.

Doflamingo continued to stroke him lovingly, reaching up and using the pad of his thumb to wipe away some of the moisture that had built up on Law’s cheeks. “You’re forgetting to smile pet,” He said with the softness of a lover, leaning in to kiss the top of Law’s forehead and massaging his cheeks. Sniffling, Law once again attempted a smile. The sides of his cheeks trembled and his lips wobbled. He didn’t look happy at all, his eyebrows creased upward in worry, tears streaking down his face from his overemotional state.

He was slapped again, hard, right on the same cheek from earlier. “Heh. You can’t even do that right.” Doflamingo admonished, a disgusted look on his face. “Your true calling in life wasn’t ever to be a surgeon. The only thing you’re good for is being fucked. After tonight, I’ll make sure you never forget that.”

He reached to the side of the bed to the table, finding the switch on the lamp that sat on it next to the small candles and flicked it on so that more light filled the room. Law’s coiled stomach churned, eyes widening when he finally became privy to the other items that Doflamingo had arranged on the bed. A shudder of pure fear shot up his spine like lightning, and Doflamingo’s fingers curled around his chin to hold his gaze on the toys. Leather cuffs. Chains. Spreader bar. Nipple clamps. Weights.

And worse of all, the fucking custom black leather collar with a chain leash to match. On the front, embezzled with diamante gemstones, was the word “PET”. On the back, a small metal tag was engraved with “Property of Doflamingo”.

“Look at the wonderful things I’m going to use on you, pet,” Doflamingo whispered in his ear, hot tongue licking the side of his neck. Law whimpered, holding on tightly to the man like a lifeline, trying to mentally prepare himself for what he knew was going to be an unbelievably distressing night. A slippery hand ran up Law’s naked chest, mapping out his well-travelled body with his fingers before allowing his grip to rest on the man’s neck. He squeezed ever so lightly, just enough for there to be a small feeling of constriction, fingers digging into the sides while his free hand reached for the collar. He wrapped it around Law’s thin neck, tightening the clip at the back and snapping it into place, the chain leash making clinking noises in the room. The weight of it was a constant reminder to Law of his place in this bedroom, and when he was with Doflamingo, who started to pull on the leash. His head was forced forward, the pressure on his neck just enough to make Law feel like he was only one hard tug away from being unable to breathe at all. “Who do you belong too, pet?”

_No-one. I’m free. I’m a free fucking man and I’m only here for one night and that’s all there will ever be between us you sick, sick bastard._

Law sucked in a deep breath, feeling the squeezing around his neck tighten slowly.

“You, Doffy. I belong to _you…_ ”


	3. Cruel Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Your next visit will be your last, Law…” Doflamingo whispered to himself. “And the best part is that you don’t even know it.” His grin that was reflected back at him from the clear glass window was devilish, sinister, and full of vile cruel intentions. “You will be mine. Forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags for Chapter 3: Reference to sexual abuse, reference to physical abuse, mentions/references to non-con, reference to child abuse of various kinds, mentions of minor character death, angsty flashback, heavy swearing. (Typical evil Doflamingo necessary for plot development).
> 
> Essentially, Doflamingo's perspective, dealing with the aftermath of the previous chapter. Law's one will be the next chapter.
> 
> Thank you again for the comments and kudos~ unbeta'd, apologies for any mistakes. Enjoy!

**17th of July, 2019**

**Donquixote Mansion, Dressrosa**

**5:58pm**

Law had left the Donquixote mansion without as much as a glance behind him the second that Doflamingo had permitted him leave.

Eyes hidden by his signature pair of white rimmed sunglasses followed the retreating form of the slender boy that slowly made his way to the waiting taxi at the front of the large mansion. Doflamingo took note of how his presence seemed to pervade Law’s entire being, even now when he was walking away from him. A large smirk spread upon the man’s face at the noticeable limp that Law had now, hobbling towards the car like a penguin, as though he still had Doflamingo’s large cock buried deep within him, invading his soft walls. _Good._ Doflamingo had fucked him so thoroughly that he expected that Law would remember the feeling for the rest of his pathetic life. Despite only seeing Law once a year, Doflamingo would swear to whatever deity or higher power there was that the man’s ass had been shaped and moulded _specifically_ for him to abuse as he liked. No matter how many others fucked the Law, no matter how many sizeable toys were shoved up there, when Doflamingo slid into that tight, wet, heat, it was like returning home from a long journey. The perfect fleshy sleeve for his cock.

Law’s body was truly one that had been created to be fucked. And who better to do the deed than Doflamingo?

The most infamous and powerful mob boss this side of the Grand Line City, head of the nefarious and detestable Donquixote gang family.

Other than the limp, various other marks that Doflamingo had made upon Law’s lithe body the night before were blooming nicely on exposed skin. Law’s elongated neck was littered with bite marks and the imprint of his special collar and Doflamingo’s fingers, from when he choked the life out of that fucker until he was practically damn near dead, gasping ineffectually for air that wasn’t reaching his lungs unless Doflamingo allowed. His red flesh, raw and abused by Doflamingo’s hand, was already turning into a mix of blues and purples. While red didn’t always appear clearly on Law’s tanned skin, bruises were more noticeable. Bruises looked so beautiful on Law. Doflamingo’s _marks_ on him were beautiful, if only because they came from him.

The little shit didn’t look Doflamingo’s way as he entered the backseat of the taxi, wincing from the movement. Despite being far away, the tall, blond haired man could see the way Law’s thin fingers trembled as he used the door to support himself in getting in the car. Did they shake from pain? Exertion? Anger? Doflamingo didn’t care. He just enjoyed watching that brat suffer.

Doflamingo chuckled when just before the taxi peeled away from the kerb, Law lowered his window and stuck his middle finger out towards the mansion. _Fufufu. Still has the fight in him._ Even defeated and terrified, Law was still persistently defiant. If Doflamingo didn’t think it was so damned adorable that the other thought his actions would have any effect on him whatsoever, he’d have that finger chopped off with a butcher’s knife.

“Sir?”

From behind him, Vergo stood at the doorway, back straight as an arrow, hands clasped behind his back. Doflamingo turned, pink feather cloak fluttering as he did so, the taxi now too far out of sight from him to spy on any longer. “My office.” The man said to Vergo, indicating with his head that they should go somewhere more private. There were things he was sure Vergo wanted to discuss and ask him, as he usually did after Law had left from his yearly visit. “You have some rice on your cheek, by the way.”

“Ah. Happens.” Vergo said with resignation, not bothering to wipe it off. Somehow the man always had a piece of food on his cheek or his chin, never really sure when it got there or why it had been missed when he washed up after lunch – those who lived in the mansion with him didn’t bother pointing it out anymore, so used to seeing him like that.

The two walked past some the other occupants and servants of the mansion, up the winding staircase, and down the hall to a room besides Doflamingo’s bedroom – his private study. There were only certain people who were ever permitted in this office – his top administrators, affectionately given titles after suits of playing cards – and Vergo was one of them. It was a fairly large room, filled with bookshelves and cabinets that held a lot of the work Doflamingo had accumulated over the years in his rise to power. Doflamingo didn’t trust any of the maids that tended to the mansion’s upkeep to enter or clean the room, saving that task for himself in an attempt to limit the amount of wandering eyes. There were some very important documents hidden in locked drawers and safes that only the mob boss had access to or knew the locations of. _Incriminating_ documents that he could not rid himself of yet. His study was finely decorated too, as was the rest of his mansion. This particular room was reminiscent of a medieval castle fit for a king. Doflamingo saw himself as nothing less than royalty, after all, so only the very best materials would do when it came to furnishing his study, which he likened to a sanctum. There were large ceiling-to-floor windows behind his polished, expensive wooden desk with golden embellishments on the edges and legs. The chair – well, it wasn’t so much a chair as it was a throne – had been hand crafted and imported from Alabastan desert-trees. It was painted in a rich gold colour with red cushions on the back and seat, the epitome of regality that Doflamingo fancied himself being. In the centre of the room hanging from the ceiling was a diamond chandelier which caught the light from the setting sun well, and bathed the room in an ethereal glow.

Having been working together since they were teenagers, Vergo was the first person who Doflamingo confided in whenever shit had to get done, and one of the only people he had ever completely trusted with his life. There were a handful of others under his thumb that he held in the same regard (a large burly man named Pica, a tall lanky Steve Tyler looking man name Diamante, and an older gentleman named Trebol who had trained Doflamingo with the tricks of the mob trade), but Vergo stood above them all. Oddly enough, Vergo was the person he didn’t always see eye to eye on certain issues, yet he still knew the loyalty would prevail over whatever bickering they had gotten into.

One of those issues – which Doflamingo expected Vergo to bring up the instance they entered the room and closed the heavy door behind them – was that little shit Trafalgar Law.

“Pour us a drink, yeah?” Doflamingo asked, sitting on his large cushioned throne, crossing one thin leg over his thigh. Vergo already had the bottle of wine in his hand – imported from the Sky Islands, good enough to be used as an offering to a god – and he poured the contents in two glasses at the side of the room. He picked them up, handing one over to Doflamingo before sipping his own, sinking into the smaller, less fancy chair opposite his boss. Once the two were comfortable, wine in hand, Doflamingo nodded for Vergo to begin speaking about his grievances.

“I’m just confused as to why you still keep Law around. That kid isn’t worth a damn.” The venom in Vergo’s voice was prevalent. Vergo had hated Law ever since he had entered their lives as a lad. Doflamingo had asked him many times over the course of their relationship what problem Vergo had specifically with Law, and there were always many different answers presented to him. He was never sure if there was a true reason.

There _were_ things that had been clear. Doflamingo had known Vergo for many years, and the one thing his second-in-command couldn’t stand was insubordination. While Vergo didn’t align himself with the status of ‘king’ or ‘god’ like Doflamingo had, he still held himself in very high regard and did not tolerate any form of delinquency or disobedience. So, when Law became part of their family, with his constant defiance and erratic misbehaviour, Vergo saw the boy as a problem that needed immediate amending. This came in the form of beatings and harsh punishments that had worked with others in the past who dared defy him.

Except, it didn’t work with Law. That angered Vergo further. Doflamingo had heard his complaints often about how Law’s stubbornness was going to get him killed one day, and that they should just kick him to the kerb since he refused to respond obediently to authority figures like the other children Doflamingo had taken in the home had. Doflamingo refused every time this suggestion was brought up, having seen something in Law that he hoped would make him a fine asset to his gang family.

Law had always been the outlier of their group, the black sheep of the family. Vergo saw his anti-social tendencies and lack of respect as unappreciative behaviour, which boiled his blood considering everything they had done to care for him. Despite everything _Doflamingo_ had done, especially the lengths he had gone to cure him from that rare disease he had had. Vergo confessed to Doflamingo once before how he wished Law – who suffered from Amber Lead disease as a child – would have just succumbed to the illness and died.

Doflamingo never mentioned it, but he guessed that Vergo had been jealous of Law, both as an adult and as a young boy. Doflamingo had given Law so much attention when he first took him in, had taken an immediate interest in him that he was sure got under the skin of Vergo. Doflamingo recalled how he found Law almost twenty years ago, hiding amongst the garbage in alleyway beside Doflamingo’s base of operations, shivering from the snow in his ripped and bloody clothing. Doflamingo and his gang family – back then consisting of a mere ten or so people – had been in the town of Flevance, hiding out from the police cars that were crawling around the roads of the major cities on the lookout for him. It was only supposed to be temporary stay, since Doflamingo wished to leave the land of seemingly never-ending snow, hating the feeling of permanent chill creeping its way through his body despite the warmth and safety of his coat. The Donquixote’s were due to leave in a mere matter of days when Doflamingo found the thin, scrappy boy. He hadn’t taken pity on him – that wasn’t an emotion he was capable of – but he had approached the scrawny kid with curiosity. What would a twerp would be doing out in the middle of an impending blizzard all alone, dressed in clothes that looked more like rags?

Doflamingo hadn’t been disappointed when even on the verge of death by starvation and hypothermia and – as he later found out about, his disease – Law had not cowered once when he had been in Doflamingo’s presence.

Law’s grey eyes had been like steel. Like the metal of a shiny, sharp blade, ready to cut into a person if they so much as looked in his direction. They were empty, void of any kind life, uncaringly staring death straight in the eyes; yet, at the same time, had held an underlining feeling of burning passion and strong emotion. Doflamingo had to hand it to the kid – he was a fighter, and wasn’t about to give up even if the odds were so very clearly stacked against him.

Doflamingo figured this kind of fighting spirit would serve him well in future. If he took the child under his wing, shaped him into his perfect image, Law would be an invaluable member of his growing crew. Doflamingo was always on the lookout for special children to mould, and even upon reflection in the present day, none had been more special to him than Law. So that’s what he did. He gave him a place in his gang, and took the boy far, far away from the town of Flevance, not even asking or caring about whether or not he had a family that would miss him. It wasn’t as though Law brought up the topic either; he simply complied, taking Doflamingo’s large hand and letting the man lead him off to his new future.

Law had impressed Doflamingo has he grew, despite the obvious defiance and bad attitude that came with him as a packaged deal. It was something the mob boss could deal with easily; just a simple smack across the cheek or an order to run a hundred laps around the mansion to put a stop to his bratty behaviour for a few days. Law was defiant – but he would listen to Doflamingo’s every word, no matter what the order was. There had been bets among Doflamingo’s top officers about how long Law would last; they bet on when he would finally cry like a bitch from the punishments he received almost daily from Doflamingo or Vergo, or when he gave up on the rigorous training regime they had in place for him. _“I give him a month. He’ll be begging for his momma like a baby, trust me.”_ Doflamingo had recalled Pica saying this, all those years ago.

It delighted Doflamingo when the brat didn’t succumb to anything being thrown at him. The proposed one month Pica had suggested turned into a year, then two, and with every passing day Law was growing to be a talented fighter, an accurate shooter, and an intelligent mind, still having not shed a single tear in the presence of the family. How proud Doflamingo was of the boy; he had even contemplated giving him the title of protégée, so many plans in his head for what he’d have Law do when he was old enough to participate in the nitty gritty aspect of being part of a gang.

The only issue was the Amber Lead disease. This was evident through the various white splotches of differing size spread all over Law’s body. The more violent the disease became, the weaker Doflamingo’s weapon was becoming, sometimes unable to even lift himself from bed due to the furious coughing and vomiting and aching. It was a major problem, and despite Vergo whispering in his ear that Doflamingo could find another kid, a better kid, the blond simply refused to listen. He had an attachment to Law that he couldn’t explain, and he needed the child to grow as he had intended him to. Still, that couldn’t happen if his disease was left untreated. No matter how much training Doflamingo gave Law, it would amount to nothing if he simply up and died on him, which was becoming a scary near-future possibility. So, Doflamingo had asked his brother Rosinante to be in charge of searching for a cure or a doctor who would be able to heal Law.

Trusting Rosinante had been Doflamingo’s first and biggest mistake and regret. Everything had been going absolutely perfectly until Rosinante was involved. His younger brother hadn’t ever gotten in Doflamingo’s path before, just as obedient as his subordinates. Rosinante was quiet and compliant, simply did as he was told and stayed out of everybody’s way. Once Rosinante and Law – who hadn’t gotten along when they first met, either – were forced to spend time together searching for a cure and travelling to hospitals, everything went to shit. Law started to change, and Doflamingo didn’t like it. It was as though all of his teachings and lessons were forgotten by Law when the boy was with Doflamingo’s younger brother. Rosinante managed to undo years of training within a _week._ The resilient soldier that Doflamingo had been working on when creating Law to his liking shattered like a broken mirror right before his very eyes.

Prior to his time with Rosinante, Law was an uncaring nihilist. He seemed to be a sucker for pain, even at such a young age, throwing himself into situations that he knew he’d come out of all broken and battered and bruised and he didn’t fucking give a shit. Law would say he enjoyed feeling _something_ other than emptiness, even if that something was a brass knuckle to a face or a steel-toed kick to the gut. _That’s_ what made Law the perfect weapon – he didn’t have anything to live for, except for Doflamingo. Doflamingo would say jump and Law would go to the highest point in the mansion and fling himself from it in his attempts to please the man. Law could be as reckless as he wanted, because even if it ended in his death, Law didn’t fucking _care_ about himself, and having someone like that was indispensable. If Doflamingo were to ask him to give up his life, he was sure Law would say yes.

It all fucked up when Rosinante got involved. There was a tremendous shift in his attitude. Law changed from hating the world and making life as miserable as he possibly could for himself and everyone in it to _enjoying_ it. Cured from his disease, Law would be waking up smiling, wondering what glorious things he’d encounter in the world that day. He had developed a will to live. He went from serving Doflamingo to instead serving himself. Serving _Rosinante,_ attached to him like a chick to a hen. The man who hated children. Who hadn’t paid Law any mind until he was ordered to by his brother. The man who had literally thrown Law out of a window in anger upon their first fucking meeting, nearly breaking every bone in the kid’s body.

Law stopped listening to Doflamingo.

Law wanted out of the gang family.

Law had abandoned him for Rosinante.

These were sins that could never be forgiven.

Doflamingo did not hesitate to kill his brother for his interference in ruining his plan. He had been the one to pull the trigger, watched as the life was sucked out of Rosinante’s eyes.

And Law had been forced to watch.

Yes. That was the first time Doflamingo ever saw the boy cry. His mouth was formed in a shout, but no sound came out, everything caught in his throat, choking him like a vice while fat wet tears ran down his cheeks. His entire body was petrified at the sight of Rosinante bleeding out into the ground like a piece of meat. When he finally did let it all out, the anguished non-stop wailing earned him another beating so severe that Law ended up spending a few days in the medical ward of the mansion.

That expression of pure torment and agony on Law’s face triggered something dangerous in Doflamingo. His fascination and admiration transformed into a vicious fixation. Doflamingo would take this out on Law often, and when he grew older he’d do so in the confides of his own bedroom, introducing Law to a new form of torture.

Sighing at the memories that brought Law into his life, present-day Doflamingo glanced up at the grimacing Vergo. “Come now Vergo, Law is not completely worthless,” Doflamingo told him in an amused voice, a long finger circling the rim of his wine glass while a wicked smile appeared on his face, stretching over his pearly white teeth. “You’ve had a taste of his talents as I have. Anyone who displays those kinds of skills in the bedroom is worth _something,_ even if the rest of him is good for nothing. He’s the perfect little plaything, don’t you think?”

Vergo’s eyes narrowed behind his own dark shades as he took a sip from his wine. He hated that raven-haired bitch to the very core, but had not passed up the offer when Doflamingo gave him a trussed up Law to do with as he pleased. It had been a punishment for Law, and had only been once, but damn Vergo remembered it as though it were yesterday. Not just because he had been a good fuck – but it had been an effective remedial lesson. Vergo had almost cum in his pants at the absolute fear etched into Law’s face, revelled in the begs of _“no no please Vergo don’t!”_. He had fucked him hard on the floor, Law’s ass high in the air while Vergo’s thick prick drilled into him over and over again, until the little shit was a sobbing, broken mess.

Still, Vergo believed that Doflamingo was soft when it came to Law. To give him the freedom to study and work as he pleased, away from the family with no obligations keeping him loyal … that was far too good for anyone, least of all a worthless piece of trash like Law. He voiced this to Doflamingo, who chuckled again.

“Don’t you worry Vergo. It’s not always going to be like this.” Doflamingo told him with a shrug of his shoulders, swirling the wine in his glass. Vergo’s non-existent eyebrow lifted in curiosity. He watched as Doflamingo sipped at his drink once more before putting the glass down on the table. He set his elbows on the arm rests of the chair, turning slightly to the side to stare out of the window behind him.

“Law is smart, Vergo. You don’t have to like him, but you have to admit it – he has a way with words, and absorbs information like a sponge. Becoming a doctor is tough enough for anyone, and Law did it without the education that regular kids have simply because of his stubbornness and determination. He has some damned will, that much is for sure. I must confess… despite his smarts, I didn’t think that Law would survive this long on his own in the real world. Truly. I thought the pressure of school and being part of a society he knew nothing about would weigh too heavily on him that he would…”

Doflamingo trailed off, allowing Vergo to finish the thought, a surprised expression on his face when he made the connection and realised what Doflamingo had been planning. “…You were expecting him to come back on his own…” Vergo mumbled.

Doflamingo nodded, a grimace on his face. “Yes. The only thing I did to help him was get him into the university and pay for his education, then he was on his own. He had to find his own job to pay for an apartment and groceries and textbooks. Everything else was by his hand, not mine. Did you know he even took out a loan from the bank so that he could pay me back immediately? So he didn’t have to remain indebted to me for helping him out? I had all my money back plus interest within two weeks.”

Vergo cursed, his grip on the wine glass becoming tighter. “That unappreciative little _shit._ ” He spat out. He seriously considered just throwing all fucking caution to the wind and hunting Law down in his apartment and slitting his damned throat in his sleep – if he wanted to get away from the man who had saved his life he might as well do so in death so he wouldn’t display such utter disrespect and disregard.

“Yes. He’d rather be a slave to society than to me, except for one measly day a year.” Doflamingo continued. “Like I said, I didn’t think that he would stick to his guns. I forget sometimes that Law is the same boy who showed bravery even when he was knocking at death’s door. I thought that he’d grow tired of the studying and the hard work. That once he got a taste of the real world, he’d come crawling back on his hands and knees begging to return. I promised him the Heart seat if he ever came back. Fufufu, don’t look so bitter, Vergo. You have that place now. Even if I gave it to Law, I’d never have pushed you to the side. You are and always will be one of my closest executives.”

“So essentially, your plan was to humour his agreement until he came back?”

“Precisely.” Doflamingo confirmed, holding a hand up to stop Vergo from continuing. He knew what the next question was going to be: _And what were you going to do when you realised that Law wasn’t going to return?_ “Law’s happiness only served to irk me more and more over the years. He did exactly as he told me he would – showed up on time, once a year, a smile on his face to see me. Let me do whatever he wanted to his body. Enjoyed every moment even if deep inside, he hated it. He played the part of a devoted lover so perfectly, the fucking whore. The second he walked out of the mansion doors after spending a night with me, that façade he put up would fall apart, and I’d be reminded of what I lost when I agreed to his idea.” That’s when Doflamingo had started to be rougher with Law, shifting from tender lover to lover scorned, taking out his anger on him in the bedroom during his yearly visits.

“Then why uphold it? Why don’t you just take what you want, Doflamingo? Nothing has stopped you from doing so before.” Vergo inquired angrily.

“Fufufu…” Doflamingo chuckled. He turned his seat to face Vergo once more. “There are two answers to this; curiosity, and satisfaction.” Doflamingo rested his head on his hand, a coy smirk on his face. “I wanted to see just how well Law did by himself, even if his continued success angered me further. I wanted to see if he was capable of surviving on his own after years of needing to rely on me or my family here. I wanted to see if he would be able to fit into society. Make friends. Find happiness. Find love. Yes, he’s experienced it all now, big boy indeed.”

“And that… satisfies you?”

“No, that just sates my curiosity. The satisfaction will come when I take it all away from him.” Doflamingo’s smirk grew, a pre-emptive shudder running through his body at the thought in his mind. “Law is smart, but desperation often tests a man’s intelligence. In his eagerness to leave me, Law’s agreement never specified that we were to keep up this song and dance forever. In other words, there was no specific time limit as to when the deal ends. Law was too trusting and naïve to even think of such a thing – he just wanted to get away from me. Technically, I could have forced him back at my side at any time in the past seven years we’ve been doing this, but I’ve been patient. I’ve been waiting for _just_ the right time to pull the carpet from right under his feet. I will reclaim Law as mine, that much is certain, Vergo. And I will break him beyond all measure when I do so. I will rip him out of this make-believe fantasy land of freedom he believes he has. I will destroy the will of that boy so that he is nothing, _nothing,_ without me. Then he will be my perfect little soldier once more – whether that be on the field or in my bed, I don’t care; but mark my words when I say it will fucking happen.”

Vergo set his wine glass down. “You…” He started to say, shaking his head. He was filled with awe at Doflamingo’s cruelty, his diabolical plans, and the genius behind them. He had been so worried all these years that his boss had developed a weakness because of Law, that he was putting himself in a vulnerable position because of some brat. The idea that that fucking slut would have chance after chance made Vergo’s blood boil, especially since as far as he was concerned Law already had too many of those given to him. Doflamingo’s revenge on the boy’s disobedience truly would be glorious. “I… I must apologise, Doffy. I wasn’t aware that you were going down a path like this.”

Doflamingo held up a finger to his lips, smirking. “And you’re the only person who will know. I want to keep it a surprise for dear Law. His face when he finds out that he was never in control to begin with… I can’t even imagine it. It’ll be too priceless. I’ll have it photographed and blown up thrice its size so I can frame it and put on the wall of my bedroom. Make him face it while I fuck him.” The blond practically shivered with excitement. “I have so many plans for that boy. Just you wait, Vergo. It will be wonderful.”

“Yes… I imagine so.”

The two fell silent, Vergo still processing Doflamingo’s intentions. It reminded Vergo of why he respected the man in front of him, why he would follow him to the ends of the earth. He was more intelligent than Law ever hoped to imagine, and held so much power that he barely needed to lift a finger to cause damage unto others. Law was going to suffer, and Vergo couldn’t help but feel giddy about it.

“By the way, Vergo,” Doflamingo mentioned, leaning back against his chair. “That shooting in the Grand City…”

“They’ve been taken care of.” Vergo said with a nod, feeling pride swell within him at Doflamingo’s approving smile. Vergo hadn’t asked questions when Doflamingo had given the order to organise the massacre today – didn’t need to do so, as he trusted Doflamingo’s judgement. His boss had told him of his plans to bring about some chaos in the Grand City, and tasked Vergo with finding the right men for the job. Disposable men. Cannon Fodder. That hadn’t been too difficult, as there were many people who were gunning for Doflamingo’s attention and were willing to fly to the moon and back to get it. Vergo had found four men who had been trying desperately to prove their worth to the Donquixote family for years now, handed them guns, and told them to let loose. They happily obliged, thinking this was their golden ticket moment – finally, they would serve under Doflamingo, be part of his family.

Except that Doflamingo didn’t really care about them. He had told Vergo once their services had been complete, he was to be responsible for offing them. Vergo did so without hesitation, putting a bullet through each of their skulls and storing their dead bodies in a freezer at a warehouse that served as one of their hideouts. That’s where they still were, and Vergo was already planning on a long night driving the bodies far away from Dressrosa in order to get rid of them without leaving a shred of evidence behind. No-one would know that it was Doflamingo, the dormant King of Dressrosa, who was behind the shooting.

“Excellent. You did well, Vergo.” Doflamingo said with a happy sigh. “Those pests were annoying. Begging for a place at my feet. Amateurs. Thanks to them though, they did what they were supposed to do.”

“Throw the police off of your scent?”

Doflamingo shook his head. “Wrong. That wasn’t why I ordered the attack, though it is nice they believed my anonymous tip that it had been organised by Bege’s gang. Heh. He’s going to be put away for a long ass time.” Vergo cocked his head to the side, curious, waiting a beat for Doflamingo to finish talking. “Fufufu… it was the only way that little shit Law would ever break his own agreement. Not once has he been late – it was time to tarnish that perfect record.”

Vergo’s blood ran cold. The lengths this man would go to torture that boy… amazing. Vergo was speechless. “You knew he’d be working tonight?”

“I have many eyes on him that he doesn’t know about.” Doflamingo explained. “One in that very hospital he works in. All I had to do was tell him to make sure Law would attend to the causalities, and he’d keep him back as long as possible. Fufufu, poor little Law. Taking on all that guilt of being late, not knowing it was planned from the very beginning. He didn’t suspect any foul play. What a sweet, naïve pet.” Doflamingo said with a sneer, standing up and walking to the window directly behind his desk. He saw his reflection in the glass, and his thoughts trailed to Law, the time they had spent together. Fucking him until he bled. Holding that thin neck in his hands, crushing the airway until Law’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. His breakable wrists tempting him to snap them into tiny pieces…

“Your next visit will be your last, Law…” Doflamingo whispered to himself. “And the best part is that you don’t even know it.” His grin that was reflected back at him from the clear glass window was devilish, sinister, and full of vile cruel intentions. “You will be mine. _Forever. _”__


	4. Broken Self

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, Law felt his stomach drop even further at the sorry sight that greeted him. His body was littered with bruises, scratches, and marks, his throat especially looking like a purple and blue spotted painting. Crescent shapes from Doflamingo’s sharp nails seemed to be imprinted on the soft skin of his hips and thighs, having been pressed so hard to the point they broke flesh before being dragged down the rest of his helpless body ... He knew he had been all sorts of fucked up since he was a child, but he was now twenty-six – if it wasn’t a habit he could grow out of, wasn’t there any other way to stop how his body reacted to Doflamingo?
> 
> Or was he simply too far gone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short intermission where Law battles conflicted feelings and self-hatred after returning home from Doflamingo's clutches. Once again thank you for those who have left comments and kudos, and those of you checking up on this fic~
> 
> Tags and warnings for Chapter 4: Reference to past and present sexual and physical abuse, mentions of/dealings with anxiety and panic attacks, implied depression, angst angst and more angst, possible mentions of psychological manipulation (maybe?), victim blaming, heavy guilt.

**17th of July, 2019**

**Trafalgar Law’s Apartment, Grand Line City**

**8:45pm**

** One year remaining. **

By the time Law got home after his mandated ‘date’ with Doflamingo, he felt as though he had been hit by a truck. He thought he’d be out by the morning after like usual, but Doflamingo _kindly_ reminded him that since Law had been late, it was only fair that he stay back an extra few hours. Law agreed – though, that was mainly due to the fact that he had been bound tightly to the bed and was physically unable to haul ass out of the mansion in the first place. A few hours turned into another excruciatingly long day and night. Law was stumbling into his apartment long after sundown a day after he was supposed to have left. His mobile phone battery had died long ago and he was dressed in the clothing he had been in when he left from the hospital, looking dishevelled and utterly wrecked in more ways than one. The dark bags under his eyes were more prominent since he hadn’t had a long wink of sleep in days, due to insomnia, anxiety, and the rough, relentless hands of Doflamingo that had roamed every inch of his body. Even now, Law could still feel those icy fingers tracing his skin, pinching his nipples, scratching at his back, clasped around his neck…

Law could barely see the lock of the door, shaky fingers rendering him unable to fit the key into the slot. It slipped from his grip a couple of times and he growled in frustration, knocking his forehead against the wooden frame and regretting it the second he did so. He already had a pounding, painful headache, like a hangover, and he really didn’t need to be fanning that flame. Taking a deep breath, he tried again, steadying his hands as though he was prepping to cut into a body for surgery, and finally managed to get the front door opened. He stumbled into his apartment, closing the door behind him and slipping off his shoes. He needed to shower, check the damage that Doflamingo had done to him, eat something but… he just couldn’t open his eyes anymore. The edges of his vision were tingling, a clear indicator that he was incredibly sleep deprived. Unless he wished to start hallucinating, he needed to sleep.

He didn’t make it to the bedroom. The living room was right in front of him and he simply collapsed onto the couch stomach first. The second his eyes closed, Law was dead to the world around him.

***

**_Thump! Thump! Thump!_ **

Law’s eyes blinked open blearily as he heard an erratic thumping at the front door as well as a familiar, muted voice calling out his name.

_“Law! Are you here!? Open if you’re in there, please!”_

He recognised the voice and the worry it held, moving to shift up onto the couch and immediately regretting his decision when a sharp pain spiked up his back. He groaned loudly, freezing his movements and taking some steady breaths before sitting up my more slowly. By then, the voice outside became frantic and started to turn the knob on the door.

There was only one person who had the only spare key to his apartment, and said person burst in panic-stricken. The bespectacled boy spotted Law immediately and rushed to his side. “Oh my _god_ Law do you know how many times I’ve tried to call you? Where the heck have you bee-”

The boy went silent when Law turned to him, an expression of shock plastered on there. Law figured that his face mustn’t have been the most pleasant of sights, and even though he hadn’t seen his reflection he was sure that he looked as though he had been beat the fuck up. Still, he attempted to force a smile onto his battered face. It didn’t reach his empty grey eyes. “Sorry Chopper-ya. My phone died.” He said simply.

Tony Tony Chopper – ‘Chopper’, as most of his friends so affectionately called him – had been Law’s roommate at the university they had attended together when they were studying medicine. He was a few years younger than Law, having only just turned twenty and being the youngest of their group, but he had a brilliant intelligence that had him accelerating his studies from high school to university. He was a short boy with fluffy brown hair and dark chocolate coloured eyes, and his russet brown skin had a light splattering of freckles across his cheeks and nose. While Law had graduated earlier than Chopper, they had both ended up interning at the Grand Line City Hospital together, the reunion a happy one as Law really felt relaxed around the younger doctor. Chopper was no stranger to the hospital, having been a frequent visitor since he was a child. This wasn’t because he was particularly sick or accident-prone; no, Chopper’s adoptive mother was the great Kureha herself, the head surgeon and Law’s mentor. Law had introduced Chopper – who could be quite shy around new people – to some of the other interns he had befriended in his time there (named Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi), kind of repaying the favour for when Chopper had done something similar for him when they had been in university, introducing him to a friendship group who he now cared for dearly.

“…What happened to you?” Chopper asked quietly, sitting onto the couch next to Law. He took in the sunken, red-rimmed eyes that were devoid of life, the bruising on his face and on his neck peeking through the low-cut hoodie, and the way Law’s thin shoulders were trembling slightly as he hunched in on himself. Chopper reached up, bringing his hand forward to Law’s face, only to see the other flinch and pull back.

“Nothing you need to worry about Chopper-ya.” Law replied in a smooth, dismissive voice.

“You idiot, this isn’t nothing.” Chopper replied, brown eyes wide with worry. “And this isn’t the first time you’ve dropped off the face of the earth and then turned up like you were in a fight, except now… now… God, Law, this is the _worst_ I’ve ever seen you. I…I really think it’s time for you to go to the police-”

“I wasn’t in a fight Chopper-ya.” Law brushed off, gripping the hand rest and rising from the plush couch slowly. He winced before he could stop himself, a sharp pain shooting up his spine as he stood, like lightning shocking his entire system. Chopper stood from the couch quickly, reaching up to hold onto Law’s elbow when he saw the other sway unevenly on his feet.

“Then what happened!? This… this isn’t normal Law!” Chopper shouted, voice starting to tremble now that all semblance of calm was gone after seeing his friend’s condition. Law felt lucky, in a way; Chopper was a loyal friend, truly one of his most trusted companions, and the compassion he had for others knew no bounds. But, despite the care and love that Chopper had for his friends Law just… right now, he wished for Chopper to just drop the issue and leave him alone. He didn’t need anyone to worry about him. Law knew what he was doing, he was very fucking aware of what he had signed up for when he promised his body to Doflamingo for one night a year. Yes, it wasn’t ideal. Yes he had been made to overstay his welcome this one time. Law would certainly _prefer_ it if he didn’t have to return to the mansion that harboured so many memories he had desperately tried to repress over the years, but that wasn’t something in his power. So, he just had to do what he usually did when it came to facing a difficult situation; suck it up, shut his mouth, and power through until it was over with.

The raven-haired male forced another smile on his face, noticing that even attempting to turn up his lips as it would cause his cheeks to ache. _'When you think of me, Law, I’d like you to remember my smile. Don’t ever stop smiling. Keep smiling! Law! I love you!'_ The words washed over him like a wave, heart immediately seizing up at the memory of the person who had told him those words long ago…

_'Keep smiling, pet.'_

…Followed by the tainted, bastardised phrase that cut through those kind memories and replaced them with ones of pain and suffering.

Law shuffled carefully across the living room, shaking off Chopper’s helping hand. The kid shouldn’t have to help him. Chopper was young, pure, bright; he was the sunlight that kissed the earth every morning, never wavering, a positive force that one would go to for warmth and comfort and friendship.

He did not need to be ruined by Law’s inky darkness.

“It’s not a story for innocent ears my dear Chopper-ya. I assure you that I’ll be fine after I shower, which I’m going to do right now. There’s no need to dwell on it or involve the police.”

The younger boy didn’t look convinced, cheeks reddening from a mixture of anger and embarrassment from Law’s hidden implication. “Law, I don’t know what exactly you get up to when you leave like this, but it’s been happening since we were roommates.”

“It’s just sex,” Law dismissed with a shrug. “And I don’t mind if it’s on the rougher side.”

“This isn’t just rough sex!” Chopper shouted, indicating to how Law was practically crumpled in on himself as he leaned against the wall for support. “This is _brutal!_ You look like you’ve been beaten!”

“I’m _fine!_ ” Law shouted back, losing his cool for a moment and bringing a hand up to his forehead to rub his temple. God. Chopper was so perceptive. He had picked up on a lot of Law’s habits while they had been roommates, noticing when things were going wrong without the other needing to say anything. The only scrap of information he had managed to obtain from Law over the years was that he had to go out of down around this time of year to meet up with some old family, but he hadn’t ever disclosed where he was going or anything about the people he was seeing. When Doflamingo’s actions became increasingly worse, that’s when Law tried to cover up by saying he was just seeing an old flame of his and they both enjoyed the rougher aspects of sex. That had worked, but only for so long; now, Chopper was incredibly suspicious about the repeated pattern he had picked up on. Law couldn’t fault Chopper for having a keen eye, but it just made lying to him that much harder. And now, with Law looking like he truly had been in some kind of fight, he was worried that Chopper’s silence on the matter wasn’t going to last very long. “I’m… sorry, Chopper-ya.”

Chopper’s eyes filled with the one emotion Law couldn’t stand – pity. It made him feel even worse than he already was. “Please Law,” He begged. “Please, I can go with you to the police station if you’re scared to go by yourself. I’m sure Sergeant Smoker would be able to help you. Whoever you’re seeing when you go back home is clearly abusing you, and this has to stop before he ends up taking it way too far.”

 _'Fufufu, it’s not abuse if you asked for it in the first place, pet. Or did you forget you promised to put up with anything I wanted from you?'_ Doflamingo’s voice echoed in Law’s head, and he swallowed thickly.

“Chopper-ya…” Law said softly. “… Just drop it, okay? I promise you I’m not going to see him again.”

Chopper sniffled, shaking his head, fluffy head flying on either side of him. “You told me that last year too, when you were hiding in the janitor’s closet at work sewing up your own stitches. _And_ the year before that, when your neighbour had to call me because you had passed out in front of your apartment door.”

Law turned his head away, having forgotten that he had used this excuse before. He wasn’t sure what else he could tell Chopper to get him off of his scent – actually, he didn’t think there was anything he could say to do that. Chopper knew there was something fishy going on, and that was enough for Law to know the other wouldn’t be able to leave it alone. “Can we talk about this another time?” Law asked softly. He knew that he was nowhere near the right mindset to be discussing such heavy issues, tiptoeing the dangerously thin line between his sanity and losing it altogether. “I… I really need to shower.”

Chopper opened his mouth as if ready to argue once more, but he took stock of Law once more before closing his jaw shut. Not trusting to use his words lest he go on a rant, Chopper held his tongue and nodded, stepping out of Laws way. Law used the wall to guide himself into the bathroom where he shut and locked the door.

In the living room, Chopper sighed angrily, fluffing up his hair in frustration. He and Law were terribly close but there were still a lot of things Chopper didn’t know about him, stuff that was kept under strict lock and key. He didn’t mind, as he had things he didn’t divulge to Law either. That wasn’t the problem at all. The issue was that Law was getting _hurt_ and brushing it off as nothing to worry about. He couldn’t _walk_ right now, and of course his stubborn ass was refusing any help. There was no breaking that wall when Law put it up, not even Chopper’s stubbornness, of which he was famously known for in his friendship groups, could take get through it. Chopper had been trying to chip away at Law’s carefully erected defences for years, and had limited success to show for it. He wasn’t an idiot, had seen the effects of whatever it was Law had been getting up to plain as day on the other’s body when he returned from visiting his home. This had been ongoing since they were at university, and while it hadn’t always been so bad the fact that it was getting to this stage was incredibly worrying. It transcended Law’s excuse of ‘rough sex’, Chopper couldn’t describe just how much it exasperated him that there was nothing he could do to help…

Well… no, that wasn’t entirely true. He _could_ do something. If Law was really at risk of getting seriously hurt, then could Chopper really be blamed for going to the police and reporting that some kind of danger was befalling his friend? Though he still wasn’t sure they could do anything if he didn’t have any other kind of information or evidence – which of course, Law would never give him.

Deciding to just do something useful that Law _would_ accept, Chopper got started on checking the cupboards in the kitchen to see what kind of food he could whip up for his friend, muttering with displeasure under his breath at the limited choices available.

Meanwhile in the bathroom, Law had slowly peeled off his clothing while the shower was running with steaming hot water. Now that he had had some sleep, he realised just how disgusting he was in all senses of the word. There was dried semen on the backs of his thighs, running all the way down his legs, indicating the fucking amount of times Doflamingo had decided to release his seed within him as well as all over him. There was a horribly uncomfortable sensation inside his ass that made him feel sick with himself, stomach churning at the thought that he hadn’t had a chance to clean himself down there until now. His hole was aching, and when he reached down to feel for any damage he was met with pain. Law hissed through clenched teeth, retracting his hand and glancing at his fingers – dried blood. No wonder he was incapable of walking, worst fears coming true. His throat was still scratchy from how much he had cried out and yelled from the pain that was inflicted on him throughout the night.

Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, Law felt his stomach drop even further at the sorry sight that greeted him. His body was littered with bruises, scratches, and marks, his throat especially looking like a purple and blue spotted painting. Crescent shapes from Doflamingo’s sharp nails seemed to be imprinted on the soft skin of his hips and thighs, having been pressed so hard to the point they broke flesh before being dragged down the rest of his helpless body. Law swallowed thickly, trying to push the memory away from his brain. It hurt physically, but in the moment Law knew that he had been enjoying parts of that. He drew _pleasure_ from pain and punishment so long as it was in moderation. Law told himself it had started as a coping method at first, to try and enjoy whatever was happening to him in order to push through and persevere – but now, as an adult, he realised that his body had betrayed him long ago, and relished in the harshness of Doflamingo’s touch. Of _anyone’s_ rough touches. It was… not right, right? The way Law enjoyed pain? This was a bit much, but ordinarily, he didn’t mind it so much. He knew he had been all sorts of fucked up since he was a child, but he was now twenty-six – if it wasn’t a habit he could grow out of, wasn’t there any other way to stop how his body reacted to Doflamingo? Or was he simply too far gone? Spankings, being choked, having his skin broken, the rough slap of a body against his while he was helplessly pounded into the mattress like all he was good for was being fucked and nothing else and-

A small, muffled noise escaped Law’s throat while hot tears of confusion welled in his eyes. _No. It’s done. It’s over for another year. Don’t think about him._

_Don’t._

_Think._

Goddamn, it was always easier said than done, and Law couldn’t ever take his own fucking advice.

The scolding hot shower provided him with momentary relief. It burned, but Law felt that it had to otherwise he’d never rid himself of the revolt he had right now. While a shower wasn’t going to erase everything that had been done to him, it was the only way he would be able to feel clean, even if the violent spray from the rapid-fire shower head was hitting him directly on fresh open wounds. He would need to be mindful of certain injuries during his recovery, lest he cause even more pain to his battered body. He lathered up his loofah, getting it soapy with a lavender scented body wash, and scrubbed his skin so raw that he wouldn’t be surprised if he lifted a layer of it straight off. Law made sure to get every inch, methodically cleaning from the top of his head to the bottom of his toes. He reached to his behind, gently massaging a finger inside him to get rid of Doflamingo’s sticky remains that he still felt coated his insides, wincing as even though he was going slow his ass ached and throbbed painfully.

Law stood under the spray for a long time, finally turning it off when he couldn’t see in front of him anymore due to the steam. He was careful as he got out, feeling incredibly light-headed – he hadn’t eaten proper food in a day, was running off of a handful of sleep, and his body was practically on shut down mode. Wanting to cover up in front of Chopper as best as he could, Law dried himself off with a towel and walked across the hall to his room to get dressed. After putting on his underwear, he picked out what he found most comfortable to wear when he was feeling like shit – baggy, tracksuit pants, a large black hoodie with a white cartoon bear on the front, and fluffy bed socks. The hoodie was large enough to cover most of his neck, but there was nothing much he could do if bruises were peeking out. Chopper had already seen the sorry state he was in, so there was no point in hiding it anymore.

He exited the bathroom, an amazing smell from the kitchen immediately wafting to his noise and setting his stomach to growl loudly. Chopper was at the counter, unwrapping food from plastic containers. His brown eyes lifted up to catch Law’s steel grey ones, and he silently beckoned for the other to sit down. “You have nothing to eat in your kitchen, you know that right?” Chopper told him, a lot of the bite in his voice from earlier gone now that he too had had some time to calm down.

“Haven’t been home much,” Law mumbled, trying to get into a comfortable spot on his stool and finding it to be incredibly difficult. He wanted nothing more than to melt into his soft couch or bed right about now, but his stomach was begging for food, growling at him painfully. “Where did you get all this?”

“Baratie. I called Sanji, he had some soup from the day fresh off the stove.” Chopper said, mentioning one of their mutual friends and the restaurant he worked at.

Law’s eyes widened and his blood ran cold. He didn’t want his friends knowing about his injuries, but there were a few he absolutely could _not_ risk finding out at all otherwise there would be no coming back from it. Chopper was capable of giving space – some of his other friends, were not, their persistence and loyalty both endearing and annoying. Sanji Vinsmoke – the Head Chef of a five-star restaurant a few blocks away – was one of them, alongside the chef's boyfriend Roronoa Zoro and their friend Monkey D. Luffy. _Hell_ would break loose if those three caught a whiff of a friend being hurt, and Law wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold them back from going after the cause of his pain, nor did he think they’d actually survive a confrontation with Doflamingo. “What did you tell San-”

“Nothing, okay?” The annoyance was back in Chopper’s voice as he violently ripped away the top of the plastic bowl on the table. “I didn’t tell him anything. I never do. I just asked if he could get one of the delivery drivers to bring over some soup because it had been a while since you ate. Told him you were busy with work. He doesn’t know and he won’t find out from me.”

Law’s heart sank as he took in the guilty expression on Chopper’s face. He knew the boy wanted so badly to help him, to turn to their friends who – despite their rough and unusual ways – were capable of solving almost every situation they came across. He knew that Chopper was dealing with an inner struggle. To tell, or not to tell. Law knew this, and Law knew he was the one who had put Chopper in that position in the first place, and it made him hate himself even further.

“Thank you…” Law whispered, head down as Chopper slid the bowl of soup in his direction.

“Don’t you dare thank me.” Chopper said curtly, filling up a cup of water from the sink and setting it in front of Law. “Keeping this from others isn’t a good thing, so I don’t need your gratitude. Just… just eat, Law.”

Law bit his tongue, glancing down at the steaming hot bowl of food. It smelt amazing, the spices used in it making Law’s mouth water. Although his stomach continued to growl, he felt like he had a boulder settling in the pit of his stomach from the weight of the guilt that encompassed him after hearing Chopper’s words. His friend was so _good_ to Law, and Law felt as though he didn’t deserve this kindness. He was being a shitty friend to Chopper, making him keep a secret like this. Law tried to convince himself that it wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t been late to his meeting with Doflamingo, that it was normal for people to engage in rough sex, but even he knew that was a lie. His yearly fucks with the man were getting more violent, and Law’s lateness this year seemed to be the right excuse for Doflamingo to exercise his strength and control over the man. It was best that Chopper didn’t know the depraved acts Law participated in.

It didn’t make Law feel any better, knowing his friend was stewing in anger and guilt because of him.

God, he couldn’t eat. He was sick of himself.

“On second thought… I’ll just go back to sleep. I need to be alone right now, Chopper,” Law started to rise from his chair, feeling the urgent need hole himself up in his room and become reacquainted with his bed. A hand on his shoulder stopped him, gently pushing him back down onto the stool.

“Please eat something first Law. You’re a doctor – you know that you can’t keep ignoring your body’s needs. You’ve already slept a little but even I can hear your stomach grumbling, which means you need nourishment. So eat, then sleep.” Chopper told him, using his authoritarian doctor voice. Law often teased the other about it when they were bantering about work, feeling that the instructions Chopper gave when he was being serious didn’t suit his cute face at all. Chopper would simply smack his arm, flailing about as he tried to argue that he wasn’t cute and that Law really needed to stop saying that because he was worried another nurse or surgeon would hear and make it catch on between the rest of the staff.

“…Okay…” Law finally said after a small hesitation. Chopper had already done so much for him, any further rejection of his help would be downright rude and disrespectful, and Law didn’t want to sever their relationship any further than he already felt he had. Chopper nodded, mentioning that he was going to go to the living room. It was kind of an unspoken acknowledgement, one that had even stemmed from their university days when Law needed some space after waking up thrashing in his sheets from a vivid nightmare, or after regaining a clear headspace after a panic attack. He had been worried that his roommate would find his problems an inconvenience, but Chopper hadn’t. They had both helped each other in so many ways, whether it was being there to soothe one another out of a depressive episode, or be a shoulder to cry on when the stresses and pressure in their lives rose to beyond a boiling point. In Law’s case, Chopper would be there to gently talk him out of his attacks and leaving him alone for a while after making sure the other was out of that headspace. Law knew Chopper was doing that now, too, could almost hear it as if they were back on campus – _I’m going to leave you alone since I know you want your space but I’ll be at a distance where I can keep an eye on you just in case you need me to come over there and hug the crap out of you._

Feeling more comfortable with his situation and trying to push away the guilt, Law began to eat. He audibly moaned the second the first spoonful had touched his tongue. Sanji’s cooking was out-of-this _universe_ incredible, it’s like he had magic fingers. Everything just tasted so damned delicious, he really needed to find a way to repay Sanji and Chopper for this. Law ate slowly, tasting every ingredient that had been used in the soup, each gulp of the broth filling his empty stomach with comforting warmth. As Law ate, bittersweet memories rose to the surface of his mind. He knew particular scents could trigger the remembrance of people, places, or things, and he allowed himself to fall into memories of happier times. Treasured moments when he was a child, before he was prematurely thrust into a life of destitution. His warm house, protection from the heavily falling snow his home town was known for. A mother’s embrace, nimble fingers running through raven-coloured hair. A father’s hearty laugh, the crackling of the wood in the fireplace. A gentle giggle. A sister’s smile.

Law hadn’t realised he had been crying. Tears dripped down his cheeks and into the empty bowl, leaving streaks along his skin. He was acutely aware of the pains running through his body that his shower from earlier could only mask for so long before he was drawn back into reality again. Now that all the adrenalin had truly worn off and he had nourished himself a little, he could feel just how utterly broken he was, how his body was screaming all over from the hurt that coursed through it. He could sense Chopper hesitating from the living room, wanting to help him but not knowing how because Law wouldn’t tell him.

The monotonous ticking of the clock that hung on the wall and the loud whirring of the fridge in the kitchen were the only noises disrupting the painful silence.

_Tick. Tick. Tick. Brrrrrr. Brrrrrr. Brrrrrr._

Not trusting himself to say anything without completely breaking down, Law stood from his seat without a word to the hovering Chopper. He needed his space. He needed to be alone. He needed to stop thinking and just shut himself off from the world around him. Law left the bowl on the table, his shaking hands an indicator that he shouldn’t pick it up lest he want to deal with broken glass in addition to his broken self. He left it all behind, walking to his room and shutting the door with a small ‘click’. Law didn’t lock it. There was no point; Chopper had his key with him. Plus, Chopper wouldn’t bother him. He would only silently check on him, make sure he was breathing, before leaving once more, just as he had when they had been roommates.

Still in his comfort clothing, Law crawled into his bed and drew the covers up and over his body. He lay on his side, facing the wall, fingers tangling into the sheets he so tightly held around himself. Alone the deafening silence, Law allowed himself to cry freely now. He pressed his face into the pillow, sniffling before his shuddering body finally shattered into a million fucking pieces. Law cried like he hadn't cried in years, gasping for air like a fish out of water as his body shook beneath the sheets. The pressures he had faced in the past few days were finally leaving him, though relief was still nowhere to be found. Law was an orchestra of muffled, loud sobs and uneven raspy breaths, lost and drawing in a violent, tumultuous, unforgiving sea of emotions. The inner voice he usually had telling him it would all eventually be okay was silenced now, barricaded somewhere in the recesses of his mind. There were no words of comfort.

Law didn’t know anything right now except cold, bone-chilling numbness.

And that’s how he knew it was going to be for a long, long time.


	5. To Live

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid wouldn’t admit it out loud, but having been included in something like this made him feel… happy. Normal. Not like some kind of crazy freak he had seen himself as for most of his life. He really hoped that Killer would join along too. The two of them deserved to have some fun, had wanted to experience the little mundane things like this for so long. It was time for them to truly put the past behind them and move on.
> 
> It was time for them to truly live.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short update, since it's been a while. Introducing Kid and Killer; things will be looking a little more up from here on out c:
> 
> Thank you again for Kudos and comments~ next chapter our couple will meet ^^ Please stay tuned~
> 
> No chapter warnings apply to this, other than the usual heavy cussing (which accompanies every chapter uwu). Once again, I apologise for any spelling/grammar mistakes~

**26th of September, 2019**

**Apartment in the Whiskey Peak District, Grand Line City**

**7:25am**

** Ten months remaining. **

“Killer, I swear to _fucking_ God if you used all the conditioner I’m going to choke you with my bare hands and then shove the empty bottle _right up your fucking ass!”_

It was just the beginning of another day in the small-sized apartment located on the outskirts of Grand Line City. The two men who occupied the space had moved in two months ago, and – contrary to the situation happening now – were no strangers to living together, as they had been in each other’s company since childhood.

One of the men was currently sticking his head out of the bathroom door while shouting at his best friend and roommate. His bright red hair was wet from his shower, long enough to be sticking to his forehead and cheek, and curling at the base of his neck while dripping onto the slippery tiled floor of the bathroom. His maroon painted nails were digging into the doorframe while a steady stream of steam escaped into the hallway, the shower still on in the background. He was tall too, needing to duck his head before walking through the short doorways since he stood at a solid hundred and ninety-four centimetres tall. The man’s name was Eustass Kid, and as much as he loved his best friend, he was also ready to beat the ever-loving daylights out of him for delaying him in his morning routine by sneaky sabotage in multiple forms.

Said best friend who simply went by ‘Killer’ was in the kitchen, whistling a random tune while he cracked a couple of eggs over an oiled pan. He was as tall as his companion, just a couple of centimetres taller, and had long, blonde hair that reached to the backs of his knees. His eyes, bright blue in colour, were hidden behind large bangs. As was the rest of his face, really, the way he preferred it.

The man paused for a moment, hearing his companion bark at him from the bathroom. _Ah… oops._ Killer thought to himself, a small smirk on his face as he moved the eggs around with a spatula. Yes, he hadn’t replaced anything he had used in the bathroom and this was the third time that Kid had threatened to fuck him right up in the span of fifteen minutes. It was glorious hearing Kid struggle, especially as he had been such a shit to him last night. The two were as close as brothers and rarely ever fought, but they did bicker occasionally and took it out on each other with annoyingly petty revenge.

That’s what Killer was doing right now, and he was loving it. Oh yes, he had promised Kid that he’d get retribution for when the other committed the absolutely _atrocious_ crime of stealing the goddamn leftovers of the best fucking pasta Killer had ever tasted. Killer had told Kid not to touch his favourite pasta, yet there that red-headed bastard was; lounging on the couch, watching the television show they had _promised_ each other they’d watch together, boots up on the table and Killer’s beloved pasta being devoured right in front of his eyes.

He simply had to make the other suffer some way or another. It was only natural for best friends, right?

“Sorry dude, you’re just gonna have to go without!” Killer called out, his smirk growing wider at the long string of curses before the door to bathroom slammed again. Ah, shame that they didn’t have two bathrooms in this apartment, otherwise Killer would keep flushing the toilet to have the water change on Kid in the shower. Oh well, he was satisfied with what he did. So far Killer had changed the time on Kid’s phone so he thought he’d be late to work, left the bathroom devoid of toilet paper, shampoo and conditioner, and the pièce de résistance-

“KILLER WHERE ARE ALL THE FUCKING TOWELS!?”

Music to Killer’s ears.

Killer let out a low chuckle. He didn’t like his laugh or his smile, but retribution was sweet and there was no-one around to see him. Killer wondered if this is what kids in college or universities would go through if they had roommates that drove them up the wall sometimes. It felt… normal. Drastically different from the life he had had before. He and Kid hadn’t ever attended college, so their perception of pranks and antics were from what they saw on television or read up on the internet. Still, despite the banter, Kid was really the only person who Killer could be himself around, and even then it was rare to see him laugh loudly without restraint. He adored his best friend, even when Kid was being a little shit and eating his pasta. As an apology, Killer decided that he’d make some breakfast for Kid, thinking he had tortured him long enough.

Killer just hoped Kid didn’t mind his scrambled eggs toasty and burnt.

In the bathroom, Kid shivered as he exited the shower, colourful curses dropping from his lips as he yanked open each drawer and cupboard trying to look for a clean towel to dry off his dripping wet body. All of the drawers however, were empty. Droplets were running down his muscular and toned chest and arms, his pale skin slightly red from the heat he had been washing himself with. Damn it. He was already running late, he didn’t have time to deal with all these interruptions that Killer had put in his path. Of all their little pranks, this one was the most irritating. Kid knew he deserved it though, deciding to chow down on the pasta in the fridge even though it was very clearly labelled with his best friend’s name. What could he say? He was hungry damn it, and he really hadn’t thought that Killer would be coming home that night anyway considering he was out on a date with some guy he had met at a coffee shop. How the hell was Kid supposed to know his usually sexed-up best friend was going to try a softer approach and _not_ sleep with his beau on the first date?

Grumbling and having nothing else to put on, Kid just walked out of the bathroom naked leaving a trail of water dripping onto the floor behind him. He rushed to get from the bathroom to his bedroom, needing to pass the kitchen where he heard Killer cackling loudly. Bastard. When he got to his bedroom he used his goddamn bedsheets to dry off as best as he could – _guess those would have to go in the wash too_ – before rushing to get dressed. He worked at an auto-shop, and the dress code was very casual with the only regulation being protective boots. Kid slid up his grey cargo pants and slipped on a black muscle t-shirt, the size just tight enough to showcase his muscular arms. He grabbed his small backpack and protective goggles, setting them on his head before reaching for his steel-toed boots and hastily making his way to the kitchen. Kid checked his phone and cringed – ah _shit,_ he missed his bus _and_ his back-up bus which meant he was well and truly fucked. Damn, he liked this job too. It didn’t require too many bullshit qualifications and he was good at what he did. Plus the boss was pretty chill, despite being a bit of a weirdo.

“Breakfast is ready,” Killer said in a deadpan voice, setting a plate of burnt scrambled eggs on the table. 

Kid looked at him incredulously, and Killer snorted loudly at the expression, digging into his own unspoiled food with delight.

“Dude, I’m going to decapitate you with a wrench,” Kid growled out, sitting at the table and forgoing the meal to lace up his boots.

“Sounds delightful.” Killer commented, smirk growing at the sneer on Kid’s face.

“…I’ll never eat your pasta again.” Kid grumbled.

“And?”

“…I’ll buy ya some after I get off of work today.” Kid said with surrender, rolling his eyes as Killer let out a small noise of celebration. He finished up with his boots and brought up his phone, figuring that he should call his boss – Franky – and let him know that he was running late. Franky picked up on the third ring, his loud booming voice heard even to Killer sitting across the table from him.

_“Ayyyyeeoo!”_ Franky greeted loudly. In the month that Kid had known him, he hadn’t ever heard his boss ever answer his phone with a regular old ‘hello’.

“Hey boss. It’s Kid.”

_“What’s up Kiddo?”_

Oh god he hated that nickname. Franky wasn’t even _that_ much older than him damnit. As far as Kid had gathered, Franky was somewhere in his late twenties. He couldn’t be more than five years his senior, surely, and Kid had just turned twenty-four.

“Ah, just calling to tell you there was a problem with my alarm and I’m running a little late. I’ll be there as soon as possible and stay back to make up the time I missed.”

There was a silence over the phone before Franky started chuckling. _“Kiddo, it’s not even 8am yet. You’re not due to come in for another hour! Hahahaha!”_

Kid’s amber eyes widened and his mouth opened. He glanced at Killer, and that expression did it – it sent the usually silent man over the edge. Killer laid his head down on the table and laughed loudly, a fist smacking the wood repeatedly in delight at Kid’s embarrassment, the man’s face turning just as red as his brightly coloured hair. Kid apologised to his boss over the phone over and over at his mistake, but Franky wasn’t mad. In fact, Franky was laughing just as hard as Killer was, assuring Kid that it was fine and that he’d see him later before hanging up.

Kid groaned, rubbing his forehead in the space where his eyebrows used to be. He typically shaved them off, but he could feel that they were starting to grow back in again, albeit very lightly. Killer calmed down, finally sitting up. “Man, your face!” He commented with glee.

“Shuddup! I can’t believe that just happened.”

“Come on man, I’d never risk your job like that.” Killer told him with a shrug, pushing his plate of unfinished eggs to Kid now that their petty battle seemed to have come to an end. “Have a bit of trust in me, oh yee of little faith.”

“I’ll never trust again.” Kid said near-dramatically. Now that he wasn’t in such a rush – and was in fact, awake way before he was due to be at work – he could enjoy a nice breakfast.

“Hey. As long as you never steal my pasta again, you won’t have to worry about a thing.” Killer told him. “Coffee?”

“Heh. Surprised you aren’t going down to that little café to see your boyfriend.” Kid commented, grabbing a forkful of eggs and shoving it in his mouth.

Killer eyes narrowed behind his bangs and he stood from his seat to make their coffee. “He’s not my boyfriend. Well, not yet at least. I’ve only ever spoken to him three times. Plus, have you seen the goddamn prices of the coffee there?” Killer asked. “I can’t afford to go there every day. Once a week is enough.”

“Yeah. Any luck with the job search?”

Killer shook his head, letting out a sigh. “Nope. Not even the supermarket down the road wants me.”

“They do tend to prefer the young high schoolers. Means they get to pay ‘em less. Don’t let the bastards kick you down.” Kid told him.

Killer let out a small “ha!”, pouring himself and Kid a cup of coffee, adding sugar in his own one before bringing it to the table. “After what we’ve been through, trust me, I can handle a few young pimply managers. They’re the ones who can’t handle me.”

“’Cause you’re too awesome for them.”

“Sure, we’ll go with that.”

Kid grinned. “Offer still stands at Franky’s if you need it. You might not be able to work on cars but I’m sure he’d be happy to have someone help out in the back and work at the front.”

Killer sipped his coffee, and in the silence that followed Kid immediately realised his mistake. “Aw, shit, Kil-”

“It’s alright,” Killer told him with a shrug, keeping the mug in front of his face to hide the excessive scars that were permanently etched into his skin from a life that both the men hoped was long behind them. Killer hadn’t always been so self-conscious about his facial scars, but that was when the two of them were living a different life entirely. Now, Kid and Killer were in ‘regular’ society, falling into steps of the mundane day-to-day normalcies that most people took for granted. Killer was suffering the most, finding it very hard to obtain a job that would accept him because of how he looked, and not all places allowed him to wear the facemasks he so desperately relied on to keep his face hidden from society. It was difficult, for both Kid and Killer to have settled in the way they had. Neither of them had a higher education, and had mutually acknowledged that they were different from the rest of the people around them; like there was a thin film between the men and the world. So many people had taken one look at the tall, intimidating pair and went running in the opposite direction. Their neighbours in the apartment block wouldn’t share the elevator, the landlord only spoke to them over the phone and never visited even if there were issues with the place, and they were generally kept at arm’s length from everyone else. Seriously, Kid obtaining a job and Killer speaking regularly with someone was a fucking miracle.

It truly was them against the world.

“I mean it though. If you need, I can talk to Franky. He already has a high opinion of you, and I’m sure he won’t mind at all if you have a mask on.” Kid said, trying to lighten the mood. “After all, you two have the same stupid sense of humour if today is any indication.”

Killer rolled his eyes. “Thanks man. I’ll see how my next interview goes and let you know.”

“Anytime, bro.”

The two fell into their regular routine. Once Kid had finished with his eggs, the two took their beverages and sat to drink it in their living room, switching on the television to the latest episode of the show they had been watching together. It was nice spending some time together, which Kid could do since he had been woken up early. He spent so much time working to try and make sure they could get their rent paid on time, he felt as though he was out of the apartment more than he was in it. It was only temporary though; Kid had some money coming in soon, and the second it was transferred into his bank about he was going to get a better fucking apartment and a new car.

When it was time to leave, Killer reminded Kid of his promise to get him his favourite pasta from the restaurant he liked and Kid assured him he would, bidding his friend goodbye and exiting the apartment for work.

***

Franky was quite an oddity to Kid. He was a tall fellow, with large shoulders and a broad chest but skinny long legs, looking like he missed one too many sessions of leg day at the gym. His choice of attire was always amusing to Kid; his boss favoured coloured Hawaiian-printed shirts, alternating between patterns of flora and fauna and food. Franky’s hair was dyed a light blue colour, and his hair was always gelled and quaffed. The man was standing behind the counter of the auto shop he owned – _Franky’s Auto Service and Mechanical Repairs_ – when Kid walked in nice and early. A smile broke out on his bosses face and Kid grimaced, a fresh wave of embarrassment coursing through him as he was reminded of what happened that morning.

“That roommate giving you some grief, eh?” Franky asked, his grin wide. “Heard him hollar’in through the phone!”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that bossman. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Kid mumbled, dropping his backpack behind the counter to put in the cubby there.

“Ha, that’s alright. It was a bit of harmless fun. He still need a job?”

Kid nodded. “Yeah, but he’s waiting on a call back from some place downtown. If it doesn’t go well… would you still want him here?”

“Oh yeah! Any pair of extra hands would be great! The lack of experience on cars is fine, he doesn’t need to get under them like we do.” Franky said, clapping Kid on the back. “Speaking of, you should see that sweet baby convertible that was dropped off today. Hot damn, it’s _super.”_

Kid’s eyes widened and he gazed into the shop, whistling loudly when he saw the sleek black vehicle parked on its own in the garage. Shit, that baby looked good. He loved cars, had indulged in driving some of the fastest vehicles he could get his hands on back in his past ‘life’, and it was one of the only things he believed he’d ever miss about it. “I get to help you on that one or has Ussop already snatched that job?”

“You kidding me? Ussop took one look at the thing and went pale. Said something about not being able to work on it because he didn’t bring his lucky charm, and that the stars had aligned last night to give him a sign saying he had to work at the front today. I wasn’t really paying attention but I kind of figured he’s way too scared of ruining it or something.”

“Sucks for him. He’s a good mechanic.” Kid commented, shrugging his shoulders and knowing exactly what the man meant. He too didn’t pay attention when his co-worker, Ussop, spoke sometimes. The bushy-haired guy with the long nose was nice enough but it was abundantly clear he wasn’t the greatest at interacting with others, and seemed to falter under times of high stress. Kid didn’t know if it was social awkwardness or if Ussop was an introvert or something, but he had noticed the man was terribly skittish and unsure of himself and his skills. It really was a shame, because Kid noticed how much care Ussop took with his work, and in the time he had known him surmised that he was pretty darn talented at his job. Kid had had fun messing with him at first, but scaring the shit out of Ussop wasn’t the best idea considering they needed to work together on some of the vehicles at times. Plus, there was that one time when Kid spooked him so hard Ussop had jumped so high he hit his head on one of the shelves then landed badly on his ankle and rolled it before crashing into the cash register at the counter and knocking a bunch of shit to the ground. Kid had made sure to get an ice pack for Ussop’s head and wrap up his ankle before offering to pay for his coffee for a week as an apology. 

“He’ll figure that out eventually. In the meantime, it’ll be you and me! Time to show me why I hired your ass without a proper resume!”

Man. Kid was immensely thankful not only had he found a job he liked, but one with a pretty good boss as well. Franky had given him this job even though Kid didn’t have a fancy-ass resume, work experience, or a fucking reference. Naturally, Franky had been uncertain about hiring someone like Kid when the red-head showed up for his interview, but after seeing a demonstration of Kid’s skills on some pieces of scrap he had lying about the shop and testing him on certain mechanical understandings, Franky was sold, commenting that Kid had a natural talent when it came to metal. It would take him a while to work on cars without a more experienced worker there with him, but Franky had been trusting enough to give him a chance. A chance was all Kid needed – other work places had simply rejected him due to his lack of experience or off-putting demeanour. Kid couldn’t change either of those things; one because of how the course of his life had panned out, and the other because he simply didn’t want to. Franky was a bit eccentric, but that seemed to work in Kid’s favour since the man hadn’t cared for looks and – to an extent – experience, so much as the person he was hiring had a great work ethic. It made Kid wonder if he too had ever been a down-on-his luck guy like himself and was taking pity on him.

No time to think on that though. Kid grinned and cracked his knuckles, ready for the day. “Hell yeah.”

***

“Hand me the spanner, yeah?” Kid called from underneath the car, an oil-covered hand reaching out from the side of the car he was working on. His perfectly manicured nails were already starting to chip, some dirt already gathering beneath them. Franky was alongside him, keeping an eye on his work and satisfied with what he saw.

“Here ya go,” Franky passed along the tool, hearing Kid grunt a small ‘thanks’ before he got back to fixing the underside of the car. Some old rock music was playing from a radio near Franky, the background noise doing wonders for Kid’s concentration. He didn’t mind working in silence, but he felt like he focused much better when there was something playing in the area, like the television or the radio or even idle chatter.

Their work on the convertible was done quickly and efficiently. Franky wanted to get it out of the shop today, to both impress the owner in the hopes he’d bring it back – and perhaps spread word around to other fast-car owning friends – and because he didn’t want any accidents to befall it in the working garage. If someone were to accidently scrape the paint with a tool or dent the bonnet Franky would be the one needing to fork out the dough for damages. For an expensive car like that, he didn’t want to risk it so it was best to just get it out of the way. Once that was done, Kid just got to work on the rest of the vehicles that were in the garage. Now, Kid was on his last car of the day. It was a little bit over time, but he didn’t mind; he enjoyed being in the shop, felt comfortable amongst the smell of metal and the sound of clanging tools. He used the spanner to tighten some of the mechanics under the car when he heard Franky talk to him.

“Hey Kid… you’re still new to town, right?” Franky asked him.

“Eh?” Kid grunted, his forehead creasing into a frown as he tried to concentrate on his work and answer his boss’ random question. “Uh, been here around two months, I think? Got here in uh… July. Yeah. Middle of July during that stupid heatwave. Actually, we had to push back the date a bit because of that attack that happened. Stayed in some cheap motel for a couple of days before we were allowed to travel into the city.”

“Ah, yeah, that was bad…” Franky recalled, having been lucky to be in his auto shop a little ways away from the city. “They still haven’t caught the attackers either. I hope those bastards get what’s coming to them.”

“Yeah.”

More silence followed, Kid continuing to work. He heard about the attack, the mass, random shooting. He tried not to dwell, not to think about how it coincided with the day he and Killer were supposed to have moved into town. 

“You and your roommate get out much?” Franky continued.

“Naw, not really. Kil and I have been to a couple of bars and a café near our apartment but other than the store and work, not much else.”

“Hm…”

Franky left it at that. Kid would have shrugged his shoulders if he wasn’t in such an awkward position trying to fix this final piece under the car. The radio continued to blare out loud music while the two men were silent, Franky occasionally whistling along to the tune while Kid finished up with his task. He sighed, picking up the cloth that was set on the concrete floor, wiping his fingers with it even though it was still covered in grease and oil. It didn’t really do anything to clean the grime off, but it was more out of habit than anything else. Lifting his legs, Kid wheeled the creeper out from underneath the car and pushed his goggles up over his forehead, glancing at Franky. “Alright, I think it should turn on smooth now. Wanna try?” He asked Franky.

His boss went into the driver’s side of the car while Kid sat up, groaning as he stretched, shoulders and back popping from prolonged stillness. He used the back of his hand to wipe some sweat off of his brow, grimacing as he realised he probably just wiped oil all over his face now. _Could be worse,_ Kid thought with a shrug as Franky slid the key into the ignition and twisted to the side. Kid _had_ been covered in worse. A bit of oil and grease was nothing, if not a bit annoying ‘cause it just meant that he got dirty, and not in the fun way.

As anticipated, the engine purred to life, no annoying clicking sound like there had been before. Franky grinned, popping his head out of the door and giving Kid a thumb’s up. “Super!” He announced with his signature catchphrase.

“Nice.” Kid mumbled to himself, feeling as though he had passed some sort of test. He didn’t know why he felt like that. He enjoyed a challenge, anyone who knew him close enough was well aware that the man was not one to back down from a bet or a dare, but he didn’t have anyone to compete with here at all to _call_ working at the auto shop a contest. It could just be because he felt like he had something to prove, if not to Franky or the other workers here, then to himself. To show himself that he was able to assimilate into a world of normalcy he had forgotten existed.

To prove that the hands he was so used to administering death with, were capable of doing something useful instead.

Kid refused to become a monster.

Not now. Not ever.

Not again.

“Could you pass this along to Ussop so he can do the final checks and call the customer?” Franky asked, handing over the clipboard with the car details on it. Kid nodded, ready to go off and do the rest of his job before Franky called for him again. “Oh, by the way, Kid,” He started saying. “Are you doing anything this weekend?”

Kid shook his head, raising a non-existent eyebrow.

“Well, a few of my friends and I are planning a bit of a celebration party at our favourite bar on Saturday and I was wondering if you wanted to join along. My wife has made a huge archaeological discovery and has an exhibition opening up at the Grand Line Museum of Antique History, so naturally, we’re planning on getting shitfaced. Well, not so much her, but me and my friends. Any excuse, eh?” Franky said with a laugh, pride evident in his voice at his partner’s accomplishments.

Kid didn’t like how suspicion crept into his gut at the strange offer, and wondered if it showed on his face. He tried to push that paranoid feeling to the side, unsure if it was normal for a boss to ask his worker to join in what sounded like a personal party after only just knowing them for two months. He hadn’t really had a ‘normal’ job before… for all he knew, this was normal.

“Yeah, it sounds fun but uh… are you sure you want me there? Would your friends be okay with it?” Kid asked cautiously.

The loud laugh that came from Franky was unexpected, as was the friendly pat on the back. “Of course! Why wouldn’t I want to invite you? We’ve known each other long enough!”

Oh. Guess this was normal, then, and Kid _was_ just being paranoid.

“Plus… well, from what I gather,” Franky continued. “You and your roommate have kinda kept to yourselves and I feel a little bad that you didn’t have anyone to show you around the city or introduce you to some people. Seriously, if I knew that, I’d have taken you out for a drink a long time ago. So, to make it up to you, I’m inviting both you and your friend to join me and mine for some celebratory drinks. What do you say?”

Kid’s amber eyes shined a little in amusement and happiness. He wasn’t sure if it was because of his bad experiences, but Franky was one of the nicest people he had ever met. Who just offered shit like that without wanting anything in return?

“I mean… yeah, that sounds nice, actually. I’ll have to talk to Kil though, make sure he’s free. But sure, I’ll join in. Do you want me to bring anything?”

“You kidding? Not a thing! Tabs going to paid for by one of the owners of the bar, since he owes me a favour,” Franky winked. “He totalled his husband’s motorbike and begged me to fix it up right then and there, as if I didn’t have a mountain of good _paying_ customers waiting before him. He promised me that I could book out the entire bar for one special occasion and he wouldn’t charge a thing for drinks as long as he got it back within a couple of hours looking brand spanking new. I’d never think about doing some like that, but he’s one of my best friend’s brothers and he really was about to get on his knees to beg! I asked him to include snacks in that and we had a deal. His husband was none the wiser, and I get to treat my wife and friends to a party without paying a cent, ha ha!”

“Heh,” Kid commented, a grin on his face. “Sounds like you got the better end of the deal.”

“I did even better than that – I saved a marriage!”

Kid laughed. They both did, loudly. Ussop wandered over, hearing the noise and wanting to be a part of it, feeling bored by himself at the front of the shop. Franky told him that Kid was going to join them this weekend – turns out Ussop and some of the other workers were attending, though he and Franky had been friends for years so that was to be expected – and Ussop’s face paled at the wicked, teasing smirk Kid threw his way. 

“S-sounds fun!” Ussop said, letting out an uneasy laugh of his own. Oh man, Kid couldn’t wait to introduce Killer to him. They were going to have so much fun.

“Alright! So since that’s all set, let’s finish up here so we can call it a day!” Franky announced, clapping his hands. Kid mock saluted and Ussop made his way back to the shop’s counter. 

Kid wouldn’t admit it out loud, but having been included in something like this made him feel… happy. _Normal._ Not like some kind of crazy freak he had seen himself as for most of his life. He really hoped that Killer would join along too. The two of them deserved to have some fun, had wanted to experience the little mundane things like this for so long. It was time for them to truly put the past behind them and move on.

It was time for them to truly _live._


	6. Electricity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flaming red hair. Porcelain smooth skin. Amber eyes the colour of a vibrant sunrise, full of passion and energy. His muscular arms were exposed in his black tank top, rippling as he tossed the pool cue back and forth between large hands, the fingernails painted a shiny black colour ... He was tall too, so fucking tall he towered over the majority of the room, and damn it all the only thing Law could imagine was what it would be like trapped underneath him, held down by those strong arms and pounded into like there was no fucking tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally... they meet... I hope you enjoy it, despite all the cheesey pick-up lines. Prepare yourselves; the next chapter update is pretty much all smut :"")
> 
> Thank you once again for the kind comments, and the kudos~
> 
> Chapter warnings: Slight mentions/allusions to past verbal and sexual abuse (Doflaw, nothing particularly new at this stage), references to sex, mentions of sex toys, dom/sub undertones.

**28th of September, 2019**

**The Flaming Phoenix Bar, Downtown, Grand Line City**

**6:55pm**

** Ten months remaining. **

“I’m glad you decided to come with, Kil. It’d be a bummer if you weren’t there.”

Killer nodded as he and Kid walked down the street to the location of the bar that Franky had invited them to. Kid had thought on the man’s invitation for a bit before bringing it to Killer’s attention. At first, his best friend had outright rejected it. He was more paranoid than Kid was about their past catching up to them, and didn’t feel all too comfortable meeting a whole group of new people all at once. It didn’t help that he had developed a bout of self-consciousness due to his facial scarring; he wouldn’t even meet that guy he had a crush on he had told Kid about without wearing a facemask, in fear that he would run for the hills at the sight of the jagged cuts. Kid didn’t pressure Killer to join, but said the offer was still there for both this party and a job at Franky’s auto shop. Kid had been happy about it when Killer changed his mind, saying something along the lines of needing to be there to make sure his best friend would have some back-up, but the red-haired man suspected that Killer just wanted to go out and have a good time. It had been a while since either of them had indulged in something like that, so he didn’t blame the other if he wanted to just relax for a night.

“Is this it? Flaming Phoenix?” Killer asked, crossing his arms as he waited for Kid to check the location on his phone map. He held a box of chocolates in one hand, phone in the other, feeling like he had to bring something since this was supposed to be a celebration. Sure he didn’t know his boss’ wife too well, but chocolates as a gift would be well-received by anyone, right? That’s what Kid thought, anyway.

He and Killer didn’t have a car or any kind of vehicle of their own at the moment, so they had to take public transport or walk when they moved around the town. It was a bit of a bitch to get used to, but they made do. There were more important payments that Kid was taking care of, like the bills for the apartment. Their current home was one of the cheaper ones they could find, but everything did pile up considering he was the only one paying for the expenses. Killer helped out whenever he could too, but Kid didn’t mind if he was a little late on paying him back; it was tough to pay without a steady job, and Killer had the unfortunate luck of not having one of those. _Soon._ Kid would think to himself. _The money’ll be here soon._

“Yep. Franky said we should just go in and tell the owners that we’re with him. I can’t wait for you to meet the guy, he’s fucking interesting,” Kid said with a smirk. “From what he’s told me his friends are the same. We’re in for an exciting night.”

“Sounds good.”

Kid and Killer entered the home-style bar, the door brushing up against hanging chimes that signified customer entry. It was a quaint, medium sized bar with a nautical theme, wooden anchors and stretches of rope adorning the walls. The exposed wood was a dark brown colour, and the bar itself stretched long enough to seat 10 people or so, with additional tables and chairs and booths for extra seating. Pictures of boats and ships decorated the interior, hanging above most of the booths in the corner. Towards the back of the bar was a television mounted on the wall, and besides that was a raised platform with some musical equipment and speakers, indicating this place would have live music rather than a radio or a jukebox. A few pool tables were scattered around too, some already being used. Already the bar was full of people, and Kid only recognised two of them so far; Ussop was seated at a booth with a drink in hand, laughing with those who were with him, while Franky was at the bar with a dark-haired woman. Kid recognised her from the photos that Franky had displayed in his office back at the auto shop; that was Robin, his wife. They made quite a pair – Robin was much shorter than Franky, petite and beautiful, wearing a short skirt and a deep V-neck top that was quite exposed from the front. Franky didn’t look any different from when Kid saw him at work – tacky red Hawaiian shirt with a yellow pineapple print and grey cargo shorts. The only difference was the black bow tie that was around his neck, looking so out of place with the casual clothing.

A few eyes had turned their way when they entered. Some seemed curious, others widened in surprise at the strangers. Behind the bar, a man with spikey blond hair glanced at them, wiping down the surface with a wet cloth. “Sorry, this is a private party.” He said to the two in a deadpan, bored sounding voice. Before Kid could say that they were here for Franky, his boss turned to the door and saw him, face brightening up. He jumped out of his seat, waving a hand at the barkeeper and approaching the two.

 _“Owh!_ It’s alright Marco! This is my new worker I’ve been telling you about! Eustass Kid!” Franky told the blonde-haired man, who glanced once more at the two with a small smile now on his face.

“Ah. I see. Welcome to the Flaming Phoenix, then. I’m Marco, the owner of this establishment.”

“Nice to meet you. Kid.” Kid said before pointing to Killer next to him, who lifted a hand in greeting. “This is Killer, my best friend.”

“I’m glad you both made it. It’s nice to meet you Killer! I’ve heard much about you from Kid here. Come meet my wife. This is Robin!” Franky told the two.

Robin smiled sweetly at them, getting up from the barstool and setting her glass of wine down. She extended a hand to Kid and Killer, shaking it in greeting. “Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoy the party. I apologise in advance at the rowdiness that will ensue – our friends are quite excitable.” She said with a light chuckle.

“It’s all good. Here, I got you this. Franky told me there was no need to bring anything but it felt weird not to.” Kid told her, handing over the box of chocolates. Robin’s eyes sparkled as she and Franky thanked them while Marco set down two uncapped bottles of cold beer at the bar in front of them.

“Let me get started on introducing you to everyone!” Franky told the two, pointing to various booths and tables around the bar and explaining who each person was and how they were all related. “Ace over there is Marco’s husband. He’s sitting at the table with Ussop, next to his brothers Luffy and Sabo. You gotta watch out for Luffy and Ace, they bounce off of walls even without alcohol in their system, ha ha ha! Nami’s the girl with the ginger hair, she’s sitting with Vivi and Koala. There’s also Kaya, Violet, and Rebecca at the same table. That girl with the pink hair is Jewelry, she’s with Perona. Thatch, Jozu, and Izo are at the booth besides them, the old man laughing way too loudly is their Pops, also Marco’s dad. That green-haired man drinking like no tomorrow is Zoro – if he asks you to get into a drinking contest with him, you should totally say no because no-one’s ever won against him. His boyfriend Sanji is in the back, you’ll recognise him from that curly eyebrow he has. Just wait til you taste some of the snacks he’s preparing for us, he’s an insanely great cook. The musician setting up is Brook, he’s very talented and he takes requests so think of a song and he’ll perform it for you!” Franky let out a breath, wiping his brow. “That isn’t even everyone, we’re waiting on a few others, but you’ll get to meet them soon enough! We’re all a friendly bunch here!”

It was a lot of information to take in. Kid and Killer were silent, just nodding along and trying to remember the names of these people as they came. The two glanced at each other, both feeling out of place considering they were the only ones there who were actually strangers and were being looked at with curious eyes around the room. “If you wanna go, we’ll go.” Kid mumbled to Killer when the two found a booth to sit in alone, bottles of beer in their hands.

Killer shook his head. “It’s fine. You’re right, it’s good to get out and try something new, even if it is uncomfortable. Plus, there’s free booze.” Killer lifted his bottle. His beer had a straw in it, since it was the only way he’d be able to drink without taking off his facemask “I say we drink and be merry, at the very least.”

“Seconded.”

The two clinked their drinks together and fell into conversation. Occasionally, people passed by and sat with them, introducing themselves and welcoming Kid and Killer to town. Soon, their empty table became full of people, laughing and drinking and having a good time.

Kid felt himself relax as he took a gulp of his second beer of the night, watching as Ussop’s face twisted in terror when Killer told him in a monotonous voice that “Kil is short for Killer”, emphasising the last word. Messing with that kid was so much fun, and Kid could tell by the twinkle in Kil’s eyes that he felt the same way.

“So, any of you good at pool? I feel like a match.” Kid asked some of those around the table. 

Instantly, Luffy shot up, excitement in his eyes. The dark haired boy had a large, toothy smile on his face, a stick of breadstick sticking out from the side of his mouth. “Me! Play with me Jaggy!”

Oh yeah. He had also been given a weird nickname – ‘Jaggy’ – by that hyperactive boy who was inhaling all the snacks that were put on the table. It was weird, but Kid just shrugged it off. Luffy seemed to have a nickname for lots of people, and since it didn’t irritate him or anything he supposed he’d just go with it for now.

“Luffy, the last time you played pool here you broke the table and Marco was all pissy for a week! You’re banned!” Ace said irritably. He and Luffy looked similar, both having dark-as-night hair and olive skin, but Ace had a splattering of freckles all over his face while Luffy’s was pretty plain. They both did have dimples on the sides of their cheeks though, when they smiled.

Luffy wasn’t smiling now though. He had a pout on his face, bottom lip jutting out as he finished chewing the bread in his mouth. “Come one Ace! It was just one time!”

“Actually Luffy, it was more than once,” Sabo said with a laugh. The blond-haired man was also their brother, just not biologically, Kid discovered. He had been adopted, which is why he looked so drastically different from the other two. He also had a large burn wound on his face, in the same place that Luffy had a scar around his eye.

“Marco can just buy another table if I break anymore.”

“Marco can do _what,_ Luffy?”

The barkeeper had an amused look on his face as he approached the table, setting down more plates of snacks with Sanji. When Killer discovered that Sanji was the owner of the Baratie, the restaurant that made his favourite beloved noodles, he gave Kid a look so intense it was like he was ready to get into a fight. Killer was determined to get that recipe by any means necessary, and told Kid so with a firm nod in private, before they were swarmed by all of Franky’s curious friends.

“Please Marco! Trust me just this once!” Luffy practically begged.

Marco’s old man guffawed from the table he was sat at, next to the one the others were at. He set his beer loudly on the table, turning to the crowd with a large grin. “Come on son! Let him play and have some fun! It’s always amusing to see him try!”

Marco sighed, scratching the back of his head. His eyes narrowed. “Damn old man.” He mumbled under his breath before he waved a finger at Luffy. “Fine. But if you break it, you’re paying for it!”

“Hooray! Come on Jaggy, let’s do it!”

Kid got out of his seat, a smirk on his face as he and Luffy went to the table for their game.

\----------

“I hope we’re not too late.”

Chopper had a worried look on his face as he, Law, and another one of their companions – a large, fair-skinned man named Bepo – approached the bar where they would be meeting their friends.

“I’m sorry… I couldn’t say no to Kureha’s request to stay back another hour… And now Penguin and Shachi have to stay back very late…” Bepo said in a small voice. Law had come to know the man as being incredibly kind and soft-hearted. He was always apologetic, even if he didn’t do anything wrong. Law had liked him the instant he had met him, finding that he had a very calming aura that had helped a younger anxious and panic-stricken intern Law many years ago. He was also easy to talk to, and was one of Law’s closest friends.

“Don’t apologise Bepo-ya, it’s not your fault. I’m sure everything will be fine. And don’t worry Chopper-ya, our friends will understand why we’re late. We all have busy lives.” Law told the two, stepping into the bar. “I wish I had gotten to see the opening of the exhibition. I’ll have to get Robin-ya to show me around one day.”

The chimes on the door rang, and a few people turned to greet Law, Bepo, and Chopper. Bepo immediately brightened up, going with Chopper to see Ussop, who was beckoning them over to where a bunch of their friends were gathered, laughing loudly at something. Law nodded his head at Ussop but instead walked over to where he saw another best friend sitting alone and happily drinking from a bottle of beer.

“Zoro-ya,” Law greeted, sliding into the seat opposite Zoro in the booth.

The green-haired man grinned, slamming his now-empty bottle down on the table and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Ha, so you made it after all. I doubted you would.”

“Eh? Why on Earth would I miss Robin-ya’s celebration?” Law asked with a frown, raising an eyebrow.

“Because you’re a workaholic who doesn’t like fun.” Zoro said with a laugh, while Law glared at him.

“And you’re just an alcoholic, idiot.”

“Better than being a workaholic.”

Law sighed irritably, reaching up to rub his forehead in irritation. He took off the white-fluffy hat with the brown spots he wore – a gift from Bepo a couple of years back – and set it in his lap while he flagged down one of the waiters for a drink. The blonde-haired pretty boy that Marco had hired a while back set two bottles of beer on the table. “Thanks Cavendish-ya. Keep them coming, I won’t survive the night sober with this one.”

Cavendish smiled and gave the two a thumbs up, walking away to bring some more alcohol to others seated in the bar.

Zoro and Law drank quietly. Comfortably. Law nursed his drink. Beer wasn’t really his thing, and he wasn’t exactly the strongest at holding his liquor. Zoro on the other hand immediately drained half of his bottle without so much as taking a breath. _Goodness. The man’s liver must have been made of iron._ Law thought to himself. It indeed took a _lot_ for Zoro to get drunk. In the years he had known him, Law could only think of one instance where Zoro was too hammered to even walk.

It had been the first time the two had slept together, both in drunken stupors, clumsily gripping each other through messy sheets, trying to forget the heartbreaks that drove them to drink in the first place.

They hadn’t been in a relationship; that’s not something that either of them wanted. It was simply a one night stand that they had both needed at the time; Zoro was looking to let off some steam over his anguish about loving a person who wouldn’t love him back, and Law just wanted to forget about the ghost of Doflamingo’s hands over his body, which had been haunting him for days. While Law never told Zoro the true reason he sought his companionship in the sheets, Zoro had blurted it out the morning after when they were laying together in the man’s bed; he was in love with Sanji Vinsmoke, their mutual friend and Zoro’s sometimes frenemy. Sanji was – to everyone’s knowledge at the time – very straight, and was the biggest womaniser of their group. Zoro admitted to Law in a heartbroken voice that he hated himself for loving Sanji so much, and wanted nothing more than to forget about the man who occupied his thoughts day and night.

After having established that they weren’t going to be repeating their drunken actions, Zoro told Law straight up that he wished it had been Sanji in his place. Law shrugged, trying not to be bothered by the words which affected them more than he thought they would considering his already self-depreciating state. He wished things were different, too, though his situation wasn’t exactly the same as Zoro’s. Zoro wanted someone in his bed; Law wanted someone _out_ of it. Law would wonder what it would be like to sleep with someone he actually loved.

Someone like Corazon…

The friendship between Zoro and Law had been awkward for a few weeks after their first time together, but when they finally sat to talk about it, they fell back into the familiarity of their previous friendly relationship. They didn’t fuck again, even if – as Zoro said – he had all but given up on Sanji ever returning his feelings. Unexpectedly, however, things changed. Sanji slowly started to respond to Zoro’s advances, confusing the fuck out of the green-haired man who was under the impression that the other wasn’t interested. It was then when Sanji admitted to his friends that he wasn’t as straight as they all thought he was. In fact, he was the complete opposite; Sanji – the lady killing woman’s man – was gay. The fear of being outed, coupled with an incredibly homophobic and unsupportive family, had rendered him silent on the matter of his sexuality, until he just couldn’t take it anymore. As it turned out, he too felt strongly for Zoro.

Now, the happy couple had been in a relationship for two years. Sanji had been weary of Law after discovering that he and his boyfriend had been together once, to the point where there had been a strain on all of their friendships for some time, but now they were able to hang out together without any kind of tension. Law was proud to say that both men were two of the people he trusted most in this world.

Zoro finished his bottle, reaching for the mixed party nuts on a bowl on the table and popping a few almonds in his mouth. “That’s the good stuff.” He mumbled. “Anyway, how was work?”

“Busy, as usual. Life doesn’t stop.” Law said, before devious twinkle appeared in his eye. “Well… I suppose it does.”

Zoro groaned, rolling his eyes. “Always so morbid.”

“Did you expect anything else? He eats lunch a morgue for fuck’s sake!” A new voice appeared from behind Law, and he turned to greet the man. Sanji had a smile on his face, and an unlit cigarette in between his lips, meaning he was about to go on a smoke break soon. Unlike Zoro and Law, who wore more casual clothing, Sanji was dressed in his usual best – black suit and tie, with a white pin-striped collared shirt underneath, shiny silver cufflinks catching the light as he waved to the two.

“I don’t eat in the morgue. It’s unsanitary.” Law said with a serious voice, hearing Sanji and Zoro laugh at the deadpan tone. Sanji slipped into the place next to Zoro in the booth, leaning in close so his head could rest comfortably on his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Yeah. Unsanitary. Never mind that it’s full of dead bodies.” Sanji jeered while Law shot the two an unamused look.

“Relax Law, we’re not accusing you of cannibalism or anything. That’s what Barto’s for.” Zoro said with a smirk, eyeing the man at the other side of the bar. The other green-haired man was also a waiter, and was currently bothering poor Cavendish, who kept trying to get away. The two young university students worked both at Marco’s bar and Sanji’s restaurant, when they weren’t too busy studying. Or when Bartolomeo wasn’t trying to get in Cavendish’s pants, a feat which he had not been successful in as of yet.

“Poor guy,” Sanji commented, shaking his head. “You open up one news article about some freak cannibal serial killer and you get stuck with the nickname forever.”

“It doesn’t help that he loves the show Hannibal.” Zoro added with a serious nod.

Law sighed. “This is why Bartolomeo-ya prefers hanging out with Luffy-ya over you two. Speaking of, where is that monkey? He hasn’t pestered me once since I got here, and that’s very unusual for him.”

As if on cue, a large disgruntled noise came from the crowd towards the middle of the bar and familiar laughter – led by Luffy – erupted afterwards. Law sat up straighter in his seat to try and get a better look at what was happening. “Something going on?” He asked the two.

“Luffy’s playing pool.” Zoro said with a shrug, waving down Cavendish for another few drinks, very much taking advantage of the free booze being offered tonight.

“I thought he was banned after he ripped the felt-top of the other table and sent the 8-ball flying into Perona-ya’s face last time.” Law commented, remembering the absolute look of death that the pink-haired punk woman had sent Luffy. Perona fancied herself a bit of a witch, though whether it was true or not nobody really knew. She was into the dark arts though, and claimed often that she knew exactly how to curse people who wronged her. No-one thought it was a coincidence when after the ‘accident’, Luffy’s fortune turned dark and he received a week’s worth of bad luck.

“There’s a new guy that wanted to play.” Sanji explained. “Franky’s been talking him up a lot, some worker of his that he thinks will fit right in. Poor fucker doesn’t know how annoying Luffy is at this game. My guess is he’s just seen the _‘ultimate pool strategy’._ ” Sanji said sarcastically, making quotation marks with his fingers.

“Interesting. Perhaps I’ll join in on the fun.” Law said, standing from the table, leaving to join the crowd. He left his unfinished bottle on the table and Zoro happily finished it off for him, wrapping an arm around Sanji’s shoulder and snuggling close.

“What the fuck is this!? You’re supposed to try getting your balls in the hole, not blocking me off!”

More boisterous laughter erupted from the group, as the unfamiliar voice shouted in disbelief while Law made his way closer. Bepo beckoned him forward, a wide smile on his face. “Law! Luffy is cheating again!”

Law chuckled, glancing at the pool table where indeed, it appeared that Luffy was up to his no good playing tricks. He had rearranged all his balls on the table to virtually block off every single hole for his playing partner – not exactly cheating, just annoying, and done deliberately to piss off the other person. Luffy wasn’t even trying to sink anything, which is why no-one ever wanted to play with him. That sad soul he was playing had no idea-

And that’s when Trafalgar Law saw Eustass Kid for the very first time.

Flaming red hair. Porcelain smooth skin. Amber eyes the colour of a vibrant sunrise, full of passion and energy. His muscular arms were exposed in his black tank top, rippling as he tossed the pool cue back and forth between large hands, the fingernails painted a shiny black colour. His forehead was creased in irritation as around him Law’s friends guffawed at the newbie’s pain, shiny teeth bared as he argued the ridiculousness of the situation he was in. He was tall too, so fucking tall he towered over the majority of the room, and damn it all the only thing Law could imagine was what it would be like trapped underneath him, held down by those strong arms and pounded into like there was no fucking tomorrow-

Law swallowed thickly, feeling his mouth go dry when the man glanced his way. His intense eyes brushed over Law in the gathered crowd before double taking, fixing his gaze on the good doctor.

The hunger that filled the red-head’s eyes is not lost on Law, and the raven-haired man almost audibly whined with need when the stare is followed by a downright _filthy_ smirk.

“Face it Jaggy you just can’t beat me! I’m too good! Shishishi!”

“Luffy you haven’t gotten _anything_ in! Kid’s got one more of his own to go and then the 8-ball and he’s got you beat!” Ace said, shaking his head at his brother’s antics.

“No way, I’ve blocked every single hole. I can get them all in one now after his move! Give up yet Jaggy?” Luffy asked with a wide grin.

The red-haired man – Kid, as Law knew him to be now – finally broke eye contact with Law and turned back to Luffy. “Even with your stupid tricks, I bet I could beat you with my eyes closed.”

A chorus of “ _oooohhh!_ ” came from the crowd. “Take the bet Luffy! Show him what you’re made of!” Ussop called, Chopper cheering at the same time.

Another man that Law didn’t recognise, with long blond-hair that reached the backs of his knees clasped Kid on the shoulder. “That’s a tall order, you sure you can do it?” He asked.

Kid scoffed, practically oozing with overconfidence and cockiness. “Hell yeah. What do you say you straw-hat wearing cheater? Wanna bet on it?” He asked.

“Yes!” Luffy replied, lifting his pool cue and pointing it at Kid in a challenging fighter’s stance. “If I win, you buy me as much meat as I want from Baratie!”

“Heh. Fine.” Kid said with a smirk. “If I win, you admit to everyone here that you’re a cheat, and tell everyone that I’m the superior pool player who humbled your ass.”

_“Deal.”_

The two shook on it, Luffy having a determined look on his face as he stood back from the table to let Kid take his shot. Law watched those calculating amber eyes scan the table, a pink tongue darting out of his mouth and taking the bottom lip between pearl white teeth. Initially Law thought Kid was just in deep concentration, but when he turned his attention to Law once more and the corners of his mouth turned upward, Law understood one thing – the bastard was giving him a little damned display.

Law’s gripped the bottom of his hoddie, trying to push away thoughts about what that long tongue could do when pressed against his hot skin, or how those teeth would feel breaking into his flesh.

Kid bent over the table, lining up his shot. He just had one of his to sink before he could go for the 8-ball, and he called it into one of the corner pockets. He aimed at the gap between the pocket and Luffy’s billiard-ball protection, and true to his word, the red-head closed his eyes, took a breath, and made the shot.

The cheer from those gathered was an indicator that Kid had got it in, despite Luffy’s ‘defences’. His friend pat him on the back a few times, the crowd moving to the side to let Kid line up his next hit. Brook started a drum roll on the table, everyone waiting with baited breath while Kid got into position. It would be a tough one as all pockets were blocked off by Luffy.

“I’m gonna jump it over.” Kid announced.

“With your eyes closed? Ha! Hey Sanji, you’re gonna make a hell of a profit this week!” Someone called to the chef, who had migrated from his table with his boyfriend to watch the grand finale.

“Place your bets here people!” Nami called out, everyone already knowing the drill and handing over some cash to the red-headed girl.

“Shuddup, let the Kid concentrate!” Franky gave Kid a thumbs up, watching the man chalk up the tip of his pool cue.

“Meat meat meat meat meat…” Luffy chanted through gritted teeth. As passionate as Luffy was about his friends, his love for all kinds of meat sometimes felt like it superseded that.

Kid blew the excess chalk off of the cue before he bent over the table again, directly opposite Law, going for the middle pocket. His amber gaze drifted up to the doctor, still burning with the same intensity as the first time they had laid eyes on each other. The side of his lip curled up and he winked seductively up at Law.

God-

_-Damn._

Brook continued his drumroll, some others in the group joining him and building up the atmosphere. Cash was exchanged between hands, more bets being made by the bystanders while they waited for the shot. Kid set the cue on his left hand, using his right to pull it backwards and forward a few times, angling it upward before muttering something under his breath and closing his eyes. Finally, he shot.

The ball did as Kid wished it to. It jumped up, over Luffy’s defences, and rolled directly into the pocket. The white ball hit the side of the table and slowed to a stop in the dead centre. The crowd cheered, and some unfortunate souls who bet on Luffy to win handed over their cash to Nami with a groan while Luffy himself looked at the table in shock. “HOW DID YOU DO THAT!?” He shouted in disbelief, pointing at the table as if it had come to life and bit him.

“I told you I was damned good. Now pay up what you owe me.”

It took a bit of convincing before Luffy could actually get the words out of his mouth, stubbornly refusing to do so until Nami hit him hard on the head and Marco threatened to throw him out of the bar for not “honouring his promise”. Sabo and Ace laughed loudly and smacked the table in delight, and Ussop and Chopper tried their best to comfort their pouting friend as he reluctantly bowed and admitted that he was truly the biggest cheater, and that Kid was indeed the superior pool player who called him out on his treacherous ways.

“It’s alright Luffy. I think a song will cheer us all up. What do you say?” Brook asked, twirling his drumsticks in his long bony fingers. Luffy’s mood instantly improved and much of the gang dispersed to continue the celebrations of the party.

“Let’s get drink!” Bepo said happily to Law, who remained rooted in his spot fixated on Kid across the table. The man leaned close to his long-haired friend, eyes not leaving Law’s lithe form while whispering something softly into his ear. Whatever he said had the blond glancing his way too. Kid looked as though he was going to make his way to speak to Law when the familiar form of Monkey D. Luffy jumped up on him instead. An annoyed look crossed Kid’s face and Law couldn’t help but let out a short laugh. Once Luffy had sunk his claws into someone, it was tough to get him to let go. The other had done the same thing to Law, all those years ago when he had met him through Chopper at the university. God, Law remembered how uncomfortable he had been around Luffy upon first meeting him. He was so unused to friendly hugs and gestures, unsure of what to do when that boy wrapped his arms around him in a fierce hug or pulled him by his hand to wherever he was heading to. In a way, seeing Luffy latch himself onto Kid was sweet because it meant he was accepting him into his group of friends, just like he had with Law, and that was pretty important since so many of them kind of saw Luffy as a bit of their leader of sorts.

But at the same time… Law really wished he could have some alone time with Kid. He was certain the other had been trying to get his attention, and wanted nothing more than to see whether he was as interested in him.

 _Perhaps later tonight._ Law thought, watching as Kid was dragged away by Luffy. For now, Law followed Bepo to a table that Cavendish had set up with drinks and snacks, settling down while Brook started up with his music.

“Penguin said he’d be here soon with Shachi. They managed to pawn their shift off to some interns,” Bepo shook his head as he reached for a bottle of beer, running his finger on the condensation that accumulated on the glass. “Ah, takes me back to our days as interns. We worked so hard…”

“You more than anyone else Bepo.” Law told him honestly, setting his elbow on the table and resting his head on his palm, trying to catch Kid’s eye from across the bar but he was currently stuck in the crowd that had formed around the stage area. “But then again, you hadn’t developed your thick skin yet. Everyone pawned their tasks on you, even ones you hadn’t dealt with before.”

“I know…” Bepo replied with a sigh, shaking his head. “B-but I’ve gotten better now Law! I can say no to whoever I want now! A-ah except you since you helped put a stop to it and all! You know I’ll do whatever you asked me to do!”

Law smiled at the determined look on Bepo’s face. The two had been working side-by-side as interns at Grand Line City Hospital fresh out of university, and developed a very close relationship that led to Law befriending two others – Penguin and Shachi, who were currently finishing up a shift. Bepo was a sweet man, who had kind of followed Law around the hospital as his little mentee when the other had stood up for him against a lot of the older residents. Law hadn’t particularly cared at first, but then found himself enjoying the company. Being new at a hospital could be quite daunting, and having Bepo there when Law turned around seeking support really helped his mental wellbeing at that busy place. “You’re wonderful Bepo. Let’s continue to work hard together.”

The brightness on Bepo’s face warmed Law’s heart as he pumped a fist enthusiastically in the air. “Aye aye captain!”

\----------

After an hour, the party was in full swing. Almost everyone who had been invited was enjoying the lively atmosphere, endless drinks, rocking music, and familiar company. Law’s mind was still on Kid, who was – unfortunately – still being commanded around by Luffy. Other than a few more glances, the two hadn’t had any form of interaction and it was starting to become unbearable. There was such a pull Law was feeling towards this man, like a compulsion spell had been cast on him. He just _had_ to speak to Kid, see whether or not the other also sensed the jolt of electricity between them too, wanting to find out what exactly it meant.

Excusing himself from the table now filled with the addition of Shachi and Penguin (the latter of whom was freaking out about seeing someone he had been talking with at the café he visited for his morning coffee and was wondering aloud about whether or not he should approach him), Law made his way through the sea of bodies towards the fiery red-head. Seeing the movement, Kid started to pull away from Luffy while the other was distracted with Brooke’s performance, and was finally free from his captivity. Law’s heart starting beating faster the closer they got together, and they ended up meeting right where they had first laid eyes on each other – the pool table. Now, however, there was no crowd cheering on a game. Everybody was happily distracted with some kind of activity.

The two were finally alone.

God. The tension was so thick Law could practically cut it with one of his surgical knives.

Kid picked up one of the pool cues that had been resting on the table, shifting it from hand to hand as he slowly walked around to approach the dark-haired doctor. Law could practically feel the heat emitting off the man with every step he took towards him, almost singeing him before they had even spoken to each other. “Hey. Eustass Kid – nice to meet you.” The man greeted in a low, sultry voice. Kid extended a hand and Law tried not to come across all too eager when he took it in his own for a firm shake. Law hoped he wasn’t the only one who felt the immediate electric shock that coursed through him at the contact of their skin.

“Trafalgar Law. It’s a pleasure.” Law replied, feeling how the other squeezed his hand before letting go. Law lamented the loss of the contact, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie in an attempt reclaim some of that warmth.

“Nice tats.” Kid mentioned, glancing down at Law’s hand before looking back up. “Damn. Don’t know how I missed you when Franky was pointing everyone out to me and Kil.” Kid continued, leaning his chin onto the pool cue, his smirk never leaving his mouth.

Law returned the smirk, leaning against the table and making an obvious gesture of checking Kid out. His silver eyes drank in the man’s large form, from tip to toe, before finally settling on his proud face. “Oh? And why is that?”

“Could never forget a face like yours, darlin’.”

Law swooned, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks from the compliment. The confidence and arrogance of the man was simply astounding, and everything Law expected and wanted from him. “You’re a very obvious flirter, Eustass-ya.” Law ended up saying, amused.

“What can I say, I like to show off.” Kid raised a non-existent eyebrow. “And I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to say it’s working on you, isn’t it?”

Law let out a loud laugh, his cheeks growing redder from embarrassment at how easily he had been taken in by Kid’s antics, but damn it all the man was right – his obvious flirtations were definitely working on the surgeon, who was soaking the attention Kid was giving him like a sponge. “Guess you’ll just have to see,” Law said coyly, picking up Luffy’s discarded pool cue. “Congratulations on your victory, by the way. I’m not very good at this game – would you care to teach me some of your moves, Eustass-ya?”

“You could see my moves any time you like, Law.” Law’s name dripped off Kid’s lips like honey and sweet promises.

It was absolutely _delicious._

Truth be told, Law didn’t need to learn anything. He knew enough of the game, had won his fair share of matches against some of his friends – he was simply responding to the red-head’s teasing, see exactly where the night would take them. If Law played his cards right, then he was hoping it would lead to either his or Kid’s bed.

Kid seemed to be on the same wavelength, but set up the table nonetheless. He made quick work of it, fitting the balls into the rack and beginning the game. They played in silence, each observing the other with heated glances and exaggerated gestures. Kid would spread his large torso over the table when he went to take a shot so that his thick muscles would ripple, Law’s eyes darkening as the temptation to touch the flesh became almost too hard to resist. In turn, Law would make sure that his ass – clad in tight black jeans that showed the curve of his rump – was nice and high and right in Kid’s line of vision as they played when he bent over the table. However they showed off, it was working.

Law lined up another shot. He hadn’t gotten a single one in but he didn’t really care about that since that wasn’t his intention here. Lost in his heavy thoughts and wild imagination, Law didn’t realise when Kid’s enormous body was pressed right behind him, covering it across the table. Instantly Law felt his cheeks redden and he suddenly second-guessed everything he was doing because he remembered they were in a public place with all their friends and he should _definitely_ put an end to this but oh dear _god_ Kid’s body felt so warm he wanted more of it on him-

“You suck at this game.” Kid’s gravelly voice mumbled, his arms covering Law’s own as he adjusted the cue.

_Calm down Law. Play the game. Win the prize._

Law turned his head over his shoulder, trying to keep a controlled smirk on his face. “Oh, I suck at a _lot_ of things.”

The grin Kid gave him was wild. Delirious.

_Dangerous._

“Since you suck so _badly,_ how about I teach you a lesson?” Kid asked without waiting for a reply. His hand wrapped around Law’s much thinner wrist, slowly guiding it up and down the pool cue, the suggestion _abundantly_ clear to the depraved surgeon. Law let out a tiny whine as the red-head pushed his entire body closer, his crotch digging into the small of his back, right above his lifted ass. Law’s own crotch was trapped against the hard wood of the pool table, the friction of his skin-tight jeans rubbing painfully against the sensitive appendage. He willed himself not to get hard, not here in front of everyone. Law didn’t even want to _think_ about how they must look, and he prayed to a god he didn’t believe in that if anyone did glance their way they thought it was just an intense game of pool and not in fact some kind of weird pre-mating ritual.

“You see in this kind of game, it’s all about getting the right _angle,_ ” Kid said in a low voice, tongue darting out for just a moment to lick the golden piercings that adorned Law’s ear. He arched his hips downward and grinded into Law’s ass. Law cut off a groan as his nimble fingers shook around the pool cue. “Putting just the right amount of _pressure,_ ” Kid’s voice was deeper as he pushed forward _thrusting_ into Law’s backside while the surgeon bit his bottom lip. Kid guided his hands to push the pool cue across the table. The white ball hit the one that Law had been aiming at, and it rolled straight into the corner pocket. “And then sinking righttttt into the _hole.”_

 _“F-fuck…”_ Law muttered under his breath as Kid peeled himself off of Law’s back. Images of Law lying on his back on the rough felt of the table while Kid loomed over him sinking his cock in his hole over and over again crossed the surgeon’s mind and almost made him mewl with maddening need. He was ready to get on his goddamn _knees_ and beg Kid to resume the position, the loss of the weight and the heat leaving him cold and empty. With a satisfied look on his face, Kid stood proudly, muscular shoulders straightened and that damned dirty smirk plastered on his face.

“I don’t quite know if you got all that. How about we make this a more… _private_ lesson?” Kid suggested.

Law let out a short laugh, turning around to face the colossus of a man. He was so tempted to say yes right then and there, but he couldn’t help but continue the flirtations with Kid – the man’s snarky comments and blatant sexual innuendo was fuelling Law on, an interesting kind of foreplay he hadn’t ever had with anyone he had slept with before. He cocked his head to the side, raising an eyebrow. “Already? Why, Eustass-ya, where are your manners? You haven’t even offered to take me out to eat first.”

“Don’t worry, I plan on eating you out real good.” Kid feigned innocence as a pale hand covered his face at his intended slip-up. “Oh, my mistake! Of course I’ll give you _something_ to eat.”

“You should watch your mouth, Eustass-ya,” Law said in a shaky voice, entire being dripping in anticipation. _Good things come to those who wait, Law._ “Someone might misunderstand the nature of our discussion.”

“I’d say you’re doing a great job of watching my mouth for me.” Kid clapped back without missing a beat, eyes flicking up to Law’s own and holding the gaze while he hungrily licked his lips.

That was enough. Law couldn’t stand to wait anymore. Literally – his knees were buckling and his legs felt like jelly. He mentally cursed the tight jeans he wore, which started to feel constricting against his heated skin. God, he hoped the outline of his budding erection wasn’t showing, he’d never be able to live something like that down if he was caught aroused like this with all of his friends hanging about. “Your place, or mine?”

“I room with Kil over there, so unless you want him to hear how loud you scream my name I’d suggest we go to yours.”

“And what makes you think I’m going to be the one screaming?” Law countered, watching as Kid set the pool cue down on their unfinished game to follow suit.

“Because you’re in for a world of pleasure unlike anything you’ve ever had before when you’re with me.” Kid said confidently. Part of Law wanted to prove him wrong, put that arrogance in place; but another side of him wanted to see exactly what Kid could do to him to have him losing his inhibitions.

Safe to say, the latter part won.

“Guess you’re going to have to prove it. My place it is.”

“Perfect.”

Without warning, Kid took Law’s hand and practically dragged him out of the bar. Law heard Chopper calling for him from behind but Law simply waved a hand as he left, putting his fingers to his ear in a ‘call me later’ gesture. Kid stopped briefly at the bar where Franky, Robin, Sanji, and his blond-haired friend – _Kil, was it?_ – were. Sanji and Kid’s friend were in a heated discussion, something about pasta, but Law was too far gone to even wonder about the odd conversation.

“Hey boss, thank you for the invite. Congratulations on everything.” Kid said to Franky and Robin.

“You’re going already? Brook hasn’t even started playing the best songs yet.” Franky asked, glancing between Kid and Law. He finally settled on Law, frowning slightly at the man’s flushed face. “You okay there doc? You look a little feverish.”

Kid’s friend took stock of Law’s red face and snorted once, a hand immediately going up over his facemask. Sanji raised a curly brow, opening his mouth to comment when it froze in an ‘o’ shape, blue eyes wide and starting at Law. A huge grin broke on the chef’s face and Robin chuckled. She rested her hand on Franky’s arm. “Yes, you do look unwell, Law. Is Kid going to get you home and take _care_ of you?” She commented.

_Evil. They’re all evil._

“Y-yes.” Law admitted with embarrassment, feeling the heat on his cheeks more now at the amused look on the three faces in front of him. Franky – _bless his goddamn heart,_ Law thought – simply looked concerned, unware of what the others had realised.

“You’re a great guy Kid! Please take care of him well!”

Sanji and Kil were holding back from laughing so hard their shoulders were vibrating. Kil was still pressing his hand against his face, his other hand lightly banging on the bar while tears appeared in Sanji’s eyes from glee. Law was going to kill the both of them holy fucking shit this was so goddamn _embarrassing why did he like it so much he was getting more turned on by the second he wanted Kid to bend him over the bar and fuck into his ass until the wood imprinted on his skin-_

“You got it boss! I’ll see you uh, _later,_ Kil!” Kid told his friend, emphasising the word. Law was under the impression this was some kind of way to communicate that Kid wouldn’t be returning to his home that night, since he would be too busy at Law’s.

After some final goodbyes, Law and Kid got out of the bar in a hurry. Still gripping onto Law’s thin wrist, Kid pulled out his phone and opened up a ride share app. “Where’s your place?” He said, already requesting a lift.

“A few blocks from here.”

Kid nodded as Law told him the address, pocketing his phone and pulling out a packet of cigarettes. Law watched him flick it open with his thumb, drawing out a stick and popping it in his mouth. He offered one to Law, who shook his head, not particularly feeling like he’d be able to smoke one right now with how jittery he was. Instead, Law watched as Kid put the packet in the rear pocket of his jeans before fishing out a lighter. Law took it from him, flicking it without a word and bringing it up to the tip of the cigarette. Kid inhaled as it lit, the smoke smouldering in the warm air around them.

“We need to establish some things,” Law told him, watching the flame go out on the lighter. He reached down to place it in Kid’s front pocket, intentionally running his hand along the outline of Kid’s cock. Kid growled with delight, blowing a puff of smoke in the air.

“Shoot.”

“When was the last time you were tested?” Law asked.

“Few months ago. I’m clean, if that’s what you’re asking. You?”

“Same as you, but I have some pills at home for the both of us to take just in case.” Law replied with satisfaction, thankful he had taken a thorough shower today before attending the party.

“My turn. How rough do you like it?”

Law smirked, wondering just how far the both of them would be able to take it tonight. He hadn’t been with anyone since Doflamingo, barely had enough time to relieve himself with his own hand with how busy work had been for him, so Law was itching for a good, hard fuck. If the energy that emitted from Kid was just as powerful in the bedroom, he knew that he’d have a great time. “How rough can you _make_ it?”

“Hey,” Kid responded playfully, tightening his grip on Law. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, now.”

“Kid I want you,” Law whispered, trailing his splayed hand up Kid’s chest, feeling the rock-hard chest beneath his shirt. “To _ravish_ me.”

Kid closed his eyes, taking a moment to inhale a controlled breath. Law continued to feel Kid up lightly, enjoying touching whatever he could from the man holding onto him. It took a few more seconds of quiet before Kid’s amber eyes opened, the fire held in them seemingly renewed. _“I plan to.”_ Was his response, and Law almost mewled from the seductiveness that laced his words. “But. Before we start. You gotta tell me; if I get too rough and you want me to stop, you need to have some kinda safe word to tell me what’s up. Got any limits?”

Law blinked. Well. This was the first time someone had asked him that, actually. Typically his bedpartners would just… do as they liked. And Law would let them, even if he didn’t like what was going on. That was… what he was supposed to do, right? Just fucking take it?

_“Like the fucking slut you are, pet.”_

“I don’t believe I have anything like that.” Law frowned. His mind was suddenly blank, as if he completely forgot what he liked and disliked in bed. Pain and pleasure typically melded into one for him, it was difficult to make the distinction.

“Well, we ain’t doing shit without a safe word at the very least, for my own peace of mind. I mean it when I say I’ll make you scream when I fuck you.” Kid told him seriously, the gravel back in his voice.

Law whined, his fingers curling up into Kid’s hand to grip it tightly. _God, yes._ “F-fine. Red to stop. Orange to pause. Just, ah… don’t… don’t call me ‘pet’, I guess. Or whore. Nothing degrading like that. Anything else is a green, I suppose.”

“Hm,” Kid hummed, nodding to himself. “How about since this is our first time, we start with more basic stuff so we don’t push boundaries. What do you like most of all?” Kid asked with an arched, naked brow.

Goodness. What did _Law_ like? First of all would _definitely_ have to be the fact that Kid was giving him a choice in the matter at all rather than just assuming he’d do every fucking sex act under the sun. That alone was enough to send his heart aflutter. Second… well, he could think of quite a few things.

“I have a box of toys with things I like in it,” Law told him in a soft voice, glancing around Kid to the entrance of the bar. He spoke low, not particularly wanting others – even close friends – to overhear about the finer details of his sex life. He shared that information with a limited number of people, having built himself a rather… _negative_ reputation when he first started going home with random strangers at night back in his university days. The group of friends he had now – Luffy and his crew – didn’t judge him one bit. But the fear was still there, that he’d be named and shamed. He really didn’t want to walk around with the titles of ‘whore’ and ‘slut’ hanging over him again, even though deep down within himself he knew that’s all he was. “Or… is that too much?”

“It’s perfect,” Kid growled approvingly, the smirk on his face widening. “What do you got?” 

Law preened, eyes sparkling as he looked up at the man, a sultry look on his flushed cheeks. God. Kid’s face looked like it was chiselled out of fucking marble. His jawline was prominent with sharp high cheekbones and full painted lips. His pale skin seemed to shimmer in the evening light. In that moment, Law felt very lucky that he had found someone so handsome to spend the night with. Not that others he had been with _weren’t_ – but Kid had a very rugged kind of look, wild and untamed that just had Law falling head over heels for. 

Licking his lips and staring up into Kid’s eyes, Law spoke again. “I have _many_ things.”

“Handcuffs?”

“Yes.”

“Gag?”

“Yes.”

“Dildo?”

 _“God yes.”_ Law whined at the mention of his favourite toy, the one he would use to indulge himself in when finding another proved to be too difficult.

“I’m going to fucking destroy you, Law.”

_“P-please.”_

The pick-up car arrived just then. Kid practically ripped the door open of the backseat and let Law get in first before hopping in after crushing his cigarette on the concrete with his boot. He hastily told the driver the address, and the man sped off at the murderous look in Kid’s eyes. Law felt squashed up even in the backseat with how large Kid was, and the man wasn’t making it any easier on him by pressing their shoulders together. His lipstick covered mouth was at Law’s neck, front teeth grazing the area where his jugular would be. In that moment, Law felt like prey – small, helpless, unable to move while the predator watched him with hungry eyes. His tongue darted out to lick at Law’s flesh. Teasing. Tasting. Law saw the driver glance back at them in the rear-view mirror, a look of horror on his face. Kid noticed it too, snarling audibly like the fucking _animal_ Law was associating him to be. The death stare promised that things would not end well for the driver if he even attempted to suggest that the two should stop. It made Law laugh like a mad-man, his heart racing as Kid continued to pepper his neck with sweet nibbles and kisses.

What in the ever loving fuck was he getting into with this man?


	7. Like Liquid Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Law reflected back onto what happened after obeying Kid’s instruction, he could only think of two things. The first, was that he had been rash and hasty in a way he hadn’t been for years. Not since his first taste of freedom when he couldn’t get enough of punishing, anonymous sex with people other than Doflamingo had he willingly subjected his body to something like this. It was reckless behaviour he thought he had grown out of, but Law for damned sure knew he wasn’t going to regret it, even if it left him hurting for days afterward. And the second thing?
> 
> Now that he had met Eustass Kid, there was no way in hell he was letting that man go anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the lovely feedback on the last chapter, and for waiting so patiently for the moment that is finally here! It means a lot that this story is being enjoyed ^^ I hope that you enjoy what is to come~  
> (I was going to make a real bad joke here lmao I need to be stopped//shot)
> 
> Tags and warnings from Chapter 7: Heavy male/male smut, heavy swearing/cussing, bareback fucking*, oral sex, anal sex, sex toys, dildo, cock ring, orgasm delay, big dick, rough sex, bite marks, over-stimulation sexual teasing, lots of cum, belly bulge, size kink(?), dom/sub dynamics (implied, not strictly enforced).
> 
> *Fictional medication based off of real-life STD prevention pills (similar to the ones used by the couple in the TV show 'How To Get Away With Murder') are used in this chapter to prevent the spread of diseases; but, ultimately, this work is a world of fiction with some realistic elements so not everything may be accurate or completely true to real life. I ask that this is taken with a grain of salt 🙏

**28th of September, 2019**

**Law’s Apartment, Grand Line City**

**8:39pm**

** Ten months remaining. **

There was a desperation that overcame the two men as they stumbled into Law’s apartment, lips locking in a frenzied, passionate kiss. Law was unsure how he or Kid were able to hold off on attacking each other like this on their ride over to his apartment. Kid had settled on focussing his attention on Law’s neck and jaw as the car made its way over, nipping and suckling whatever part of flesh he could find. His lips were like sweet torture, kissing so much of Law’s skin but not enough at the same time, leaving his mark in the form of smeared dark lipstick. The doctor’s own lips were practically tingling, having been neglected intentionally by the red-head who avoided the area the entire ride there. Law thought that maybe the man didn’t like kissing strangers on the lips; some people didn’t do such things, the gesture more intimate than rough sex at times. He had been proven wrong once he and Kid had rushed up the stairs to his apartment, when the man spun him around unexpectedly and took his lips hungrily against Law’s front door. They were still out in the hallway, but that didn’t stop Law from moaning loudly into the man’s warm mouth, neighbours be fucking damned. Kid’s taste was intoxicating; musky and hearty with the lingering scent of his earlier cigarette, and Law had dropped his house key from his hand in order to grip Kid’s neck in a tight hold to deepen their kiss further. Kid pushed Law’s back against the wood, a powerful thigh lodged in between Law’s parted legs, rubbing his clothed erection with it. Law’s legs shook as he stood on the tips of his toes, gyrating his hips to match the drag of Kid’s thigh that pushed on him so hard it had him tingling further.

When they parted for air it was only so that Law could grab his key. He unlocked the door while Kid continued to devour his mouth, would have damn near fell back from the roughness and ferocity of it all if it wasn’t for the man’s strong arms keeping him close to his body and helping him stay up. Kid slammed the door shut with his boot when they finally entered the apartment, and his calloused fingers slipped underneath Law’s hoodie, making contact with the hot flesh of his belly. Law was practically melting under the searing touch, Kid’s warm fingers feeling up his stomach before grabbing the hem of the hoodie and lifting it up and over the doctor’s head. Similarly, Law was clawing at Kid’s tank top, torn between trying to get that off or trying to unbuckle the man’s pants to finally see what was hiding beneath the dark denim. Kid helped, shucking off his shirt off and throwing it on the floor somewhere next to Law’s hoodie before hoisting the smaller man up into a hold. His firm hands gripped Law’s ass, and the raven head man wrapped his legs around the others waist. He opened his mouth so that Kid could slip in his tongue, and once again they were locked in another intensely gratifying kiss. Kid grunted, forcing the muscle deeper into that wet, warm heat, Law’s mouth going lax as the other dominated the space. They kissed until they needed the air, gasping for it like fish out of water.

“Bedroom?” Kid growled gutturally. Law shuddered at the tone, noticing how his voice practically dropped an entire octave in his aroused state, which was even more of a fucking turn-on to him.

“F-First door to the left.” Law breathed heavily, once again feeling his lips become captured by Kid’s mouth. Blindly, Kid carried Law through his apartment, taking long strides to where the other had indicated his bedroom was. The friction of Law grinding his hips against him had them both rock solid in their jeans, and they couldn’t get naked soon enough. When Kid located the bed, he all but threw Law down on his back, sitting atop him and bending down to pull off the offending garment.

“W-wait-” Law stuttered to get out, reaching for his bedside table and opening the drawer shakily. Kid growled, fingers still hot against Law’s thighs as he was in the process of removing the other’s clothing. Law was quick to locate a bottle of pills – a medication specifically for the prevention of any kind of diseases – and popped the cap, taking two and handing one to Kid. “Until we both see proof we’ve been tested.”

Kid shrugged, fingernails lightly scratching the soft flesh he held before he took the offered pill and popped it in his mouth, swallowing it dry. Law supposed he’d have to do the same since there was no water and there was no way in _hell_ he was going to stop their actions again, because he was fucking ready to go. Once he swallowed his, Kid attacked him again, licking and sucking and nipping Law’s neck while his hands trailed down his body to continue working his pants off. Law lifted his hips desperately, wiggling his butt to try and make the process easier, cursing his decision to wear such constricting garments because of how goddamn _long_ it was taking to get them off. Kid finally yanked them down, pulling them clean off of Law’s long legs and throwing them into the room without any care in the world. He pulled those dark lips of his off of Law’s neck and sat up, drinking in Law’s lithe, tanned body, the man clad only sinfully tight-fitting underwear. There was little light in the room, but the moon and street lamp from outside poured enough through Law’s window to expose it all to the red-haired man. Kid’s golden eyes were burning with desire when he noticed the tattoos that adorned Law’s arms were also decorating his torso and stomach, like he was an entire work of art. 

“Fuck you’re so hot.” Kid muttered, following the tattoos with his eyes. The pattern was almost tribal, and Kid couldn’t help but bend down and start licking the black, twisting tendrils. He mapped out every inch of Law’s skin, charting the unfamiliar territory like a cartographer, not missing a single crevice or dip. The smaller man beneath him moaned, arching his back while Kid’s wet tongue started at the end of one the curved designs, tracing the pattern all the way up Law’s body to a hard nipple. He took the pert stub in his mouth, rolling it between his front teeth before gently biting down. Law mewled, fisting his hand in Kid’s soft, red, fiery locks, pulling him in further while the man tortured his nipple. He could feel himself get wet in his briefs, precum starting to form at the tip of his erection. As if reading his mind, Kid’s hand palmed Law’s cock through his underwear, delighting in the startled choke that emitted from the other as he rubbed the hardened length. Law let out a drawn moan, spreading his legs and panting, tremors running through his body while Kid played and squeezed and palmed his clothed hardness while simultaneously biting and licking and sucking his nipple, moving between both stiff nubs until each were stinging pleasurably.

 _“P-please- m-more-”_ Law begged desperately.

Kid lifted his head up, an amorous look on his face while he licked his lips like a hungry animal. He removed himself from Law to take off his own pants and underwear, finishing the job by ridding Law of his final piece of clothing too until they were both stark naked on the bed.

God. The man atop Law was a fucking Adonis, with a body seemingly carved out of marble. Everything about him was thick and powerful, from his stomach to his pecs and his powerful arms, which strained with ropes of corded muscle when he reached and grabbed for the raven-haired man below. And Law absolutely _drooled_ at the girth of the cock that sprung out from Kid’s underwear, standing stiffly and proudly against Kid’s toned abdomen, longer than any he’d seen and glistening with precum at the tip. The doctor’s eyes widened, and he lifted himself off of the mattress to examine it more closely, wanting nothing more than to wrap his lips around that thick length and suckle on it all night. Kid reached for his erection with one hand, stroking it once from base to tip slowly with the pads of his fingers, watching as lust and desire crossed Law’s face in earnest. He just… damn, it was the biggest damned dick he had ever seen. He had to touch, feel, _taste._

“You want my cock?” Kid asked, the baritone voice making everything seem even more fucking intense for Law.

 _“Y-yes,”_ Law begged, shifting in the bed to get on his hands and knees, face inching closer to that glorious dripping length, the need to please and suck on it controlling him like puppet strings. Just before his small, parted mouth could attach itself at the beading tip, Kid’s hand gently caught him at the back of his neck and coaxed him away. Law yelped, seizing up much like a kitten being held in its mother’s maw and whined in displeasure.

“As much as I want your lips on my cock, I want to play with those toys you like too,” Kid said eagerly. “That way we can both have our fun. What do you say?”

“R-really?”

“Oh hell yeah. It’ll turn me the fuck on if you’re enjoying yourself too. Go get your favourite things, and some lube.” Kid asked, delirious excitement sparkling in his eyes.

Law matched his eagerness, scrambling to get off the bed and rushing to his closet. He winced, his erection painful in between his legs, the heat in his stomach making it hard for him to concentrate as he located his stashed away sex-toy box and brought it out. He settled back onto the bed next to Kid, taking out the lube in the bedside table and setting it down on the mattress, watching with heated cheeks as the other fished through the box curiously.

“Handcuffs, dildo- _cock ring?_ ” Kid bared his teeth into a smirk, lifting up the silicone and turning it in his hand. The simple toy had two rings, one that would slip on the base of Law’s dick and another between his dick and balls. It wasn’t too tight because Law, being the doctor he was, knew just how dangerous cock strangulation could be and had seen the results on a multitude of patients – but it would certainly do its job by making him unable to cum when they started getting hot and heavy. Law personally enjoyed having his orgasm delayed, because he knew the built-up anticipation would lead to the most intense type of climax he could have. He indulged in that particular kind of play privately, on his own, not typically trusting others to have that type of control over him; but Kid had been the first to _ever_ offer him an out with a safe word, and so Law was actually contemplating letting the other try it out with him. Plus, he didn’t mind using a simple slip-on silicone ring – it was easy enough for him to take off himself if he didn’t want it anymore, and a lot easier to manage and remove than the fucking metal contraption a certain other _someone_ liked to dress him in. Law wasn’t sure if he could ever get that feather-coat wearing fucker completely out of his mind, but he felt that with Kid and a few of his favourite toys he’d certainly be able to forget about his worries for a _long_ time. Law’s heart was racing like a horse at the excited, depraved look on Kid’s face that made him feel absolutely ravished even though they hadn’t gone past the hard-core making out stage yet. Unbeknownst to Law, who was blushing furiously as Kid pulled and released the silicone so it snapped in his hands, the red-head was dealing with a thunderstorm of thoughts about just how _right_ Law seemed to be for him, ticking every single one of his boxes for things he looked in a bedpartner.

“Y-yeah. It can be fun sometimes.” Law admitted shyly.

“You want to use it tonight?” Kid asked him.

Law contemplated the offer, biting his bottom lip. After a few moments of thought, he decided to throw caution to the wind, and nodded. “Yes, but only on the condition that I ask for it to be removed, it comes off. Otherwise we won’t ever do this again. _Any_ of it.” Law told Kid carefully, pre-emptively flinching as he almost expected Kid to react negatively to the ultimatum. Law didn’t usually tell people what to do in the bedroom, and trying to do so would usually earn him some kind of argument or eye-roll or – worst of all – mocking laugher which made his skin crawl with distain, shame, and self-hatred.

But Kid nodded seriously, the look on his face nothing short of genuine. Law felt a lot of his apprehension leave simply at the sight of it, and in that moment he felt like he could trust Kid with this at the very least. He didn’t know why – they had only met a couple of hours ago, but Law had a good feeling about this, so he was going to follow it and see where it led. “Of course. And if it gets too much, use the safe word and everything’ll come off. I keep my promises.” Kid reminded him before reaching down and taking the raven-haired man’s cock in his hand. Law immediately whined, arching his hips upward into the fist that encapsulated his length, watching as Kid smiled. He didn’t even move his hand, just kept a loose grip while Law practically fucked his fist like a sleeve before the base of his penis was firmly grabbed. Law bit his lip further and watched as Kid began the process of fitting the silicone chastity device onto his cock and balls. When it was in place, Law let out a breathy high-pitched sigh, back positively trembling with shivers as his dick was now at the mercy of the man atop him, angry and red and straining already. “You okay?” Kid asked. 

Law nodded, leaning on his knees to kiss Kid’s lips again. The other responded, one hand resting on Law’s hip while the other fished around in the box for something else. Law broke it off to see what he was looking for, and practically whined when his favourite fucking dildo was in Kid’s hand. “G-god yes.” He whispered.

Kid manoeuvred Law onto his hands and knees, reaching for the lube bottle and popping open the cap. “Spread ‘em.” He said, squeezing the clear, cool jelly onto his fingers and rubbing it warm. Law obeyed, chest and shoulders pressed into the mattress while his ass was high in the air for Kid’s viewing pleasure. He shifted his knees apart, swaying his hips side to side to entice the man further. He didn’t need to really – he could hear Kid already growling excitedly at the sight before him. “First one’s going in.” Kid warned him before his wet pointer finger ran down the crack of Law’s ass, his other hand pulling at one of his cheeks to expose the pink pucker that spasmed from the contact. Kid didn’t tease for long, slipping his finger into that tight ring to get his first feel of the man below him. Law bit his lip, feeling the appendage slowly sink into him, probing alone for a moment before a second one was added almost instantly afterward. Law rocked back on his knees while Kid sunk his fingers in him to the knuckle, scissoring and twisting and prodding the soft walls. Kid’s touches continued to send sparks down Law’s body, his heavy dick burning with neglect and denial, his fingers clenched into the sheets in front of him. He dared turn around to look at the man’s face and almost melted at the lust-filled expression of concentration he wore as he worked him open more quickly with every passing second.

When Kid felt he had done enough, he reached for the dildo Law had brought him, removing his fingers and leaving him feeling horrifically empty enough that he audibly whined. Kid bent down to press his lips at the small of Law’s back, peppering the curve of his spine with small fluttering kisses. “P-please Kid,” Law whispered. “G-get _something_ in me…”

“Of course,” Kid whispered back, leaning forward to kiss the side of Law’s neck before standing up on his knees, resuming his preparation of the dildo. He lathered it in lubricant, whistling low in approval of the large size and the ribbed edges below the tip. Law knew it was big, but honestly after seeing how much larger Kids’ dick was he was thankful he had it in that size; he would need it to help stretch out his hole to accommodate for what was to come.

When Kid had poured a sufficient amount, he settled the tip of the hard toy against Law’s hole. Law whined, bucking his hips upward impatiently trying to force it inside of him. Kid let out a small chuckle, the sound reverberating throughout the room, all throaty and dark. “You like ‘em nice and big huh?”

 _“Yes.”_ Law was breathless, feeling Kid’s free hand reaching down to grab the back of Law’s neck. The smaller boy’s shoulders strained while he was held down, unable to push his hips back any more as his body was covered by a larger one. _“Please-!”_

Kid teased him with the dildo further, rubbing the tip up and down Law’s ass, lightly tapping it across his cheeks a few times. Law continued to beg, toes curling every time it touched his twitching hole, only to whine when Kid once again moved it away. After what felt like way too long for Law, Kid finally, _finally,_ began to insert the toy inside his waiting entrance. Law absolutely mewled as Kid held him still with his muscular body while pushing it in, pulling out only slightly before continuing the ministrations. The dildo wasn’t too fat but it was pretty long, so it took a while to get inside all the way because Kid enjoyed how the smaller body underneath him shuddered and struggled to take it. The flared base was soon flat against Law’s ass, and Kid gave it a small twist before he stopped playing with it, pulling off of Law’s sweaty back and bringing the other up with him in a light hold. Kid turned Law’s face to his and almost came at the fucking sight of the man – his eyes were rolling into his head from pleasure, the redness on his cheeks having spread to his neck and the tips of his ears, mouth parted and panting. Kid immediately attacked the boy’s lax lips with his, lapping him up greedily while he pulled his back flush against his chest, large hand running down that shivering body. Law was bucking himself up and down into the touch, moaning helplessly into the kiss, the heat spreading across his entire body like a wildfire. Kid rutted against the small of Law’s back, his hard dick rubbing the smooth skin while his fingers tweaked and pinched still-pert nipples. Law’s erection had been leaking with so much precum from earlier it was dribbling down to the sheets even with the cock ring on.

“You’re so responsive,” Kid rumbled, nipping his neck. _“Fuck,_ everything about you is turning me _on_ Law.”

_“A-ah, f-fuck-...”_

Kid chuckled, focusing on a spot on Law’s neck and baring his teeth. He sunk his pearly whites into the flesh, Law’s breath hitching as he jerked upward and let out a high-pitched groan. The gyrating of his hips increased, and Kid realised with glee that Law was trying to fuck himself to completion on the dildo even with a cock ring preventing him from reaching that state. Law had used the large dildo on himself plenty of times to know that if he could get the right angle it’d be hitting into his prostate. Just a few more experimental thrusts and he was sure he’d find it– 

The dildo was twisted and pulled out halfway. Law groaned, trying to seat himself on the toy and push it back in but Kid’s muscular grip on him prevented Law from doing so. His hips continued to move up and down, his stiff cock chasing an orgasm that wasn’t coming. “You looked like you were having fun. I wanna have fun too.” Kid told him, kissing the side of Law’s cheek before switching Law’s position. He manoeuvred Law gently, a hand in his hair guiding him to be seated on his knees in front of Kid so that they were chest to chest. He pushed Law’s head down to his throbbing erection, and Law’s fingers immediately clamped down on either of Kid’s muscular thighs to hold himself steady. Kid didn’t even need to say anything; Law’s mouth was already opened wide, and he was sheathed onto his cock in one swift motion. Kid spread his legs on either side of the man, settling back in the sheets while Law sighed happily. Kid was still, his hand resting on Law’s head as he wanted for the other to adjust to his size. Law silently appreciated the pause; Kid _was_ big, so his mouth had to be stretched beyond his regular limits to accommodate it. Law took control over the pace, closing his eyes and focussing on his task to pleasure Kid. And himself, honestly. He didn’t mind sucking cock at all, if he wasn’t being forced to choke on it all the time. And with Kid letting him take the lead, there wasn’t anything _close_ to a bad time in Law’s foreseeable future.

Law began to suck, softly at first. He focussed on the wet tip, the pre-cum hitting directly onto his taste buds. He tightened his lips while he suckled, feeling Kid’s body go rigid when he started to use his tongue to further his ministrations. Law worked his magic on Kid with his tongue, using the muscle to guide him further down the length, the tip of it licking down the underside and darting out to trail against the rougher parts of skin. He heard Kid moan above him, and a sense of pride filled Law at the realisation that he had been the one to draw that noise out of the man, spurring him to continue with more vigour. He bobbed his head further down, taking more of Kid’s glorious length inside his mouth, hollowing out his cheeks so that each suck would be more powerful and enjoyable. Law’s fingers curled over Kid’s balls, feeling him up while he sucked at the same time. 

_“Fuck.”_ Kid whispered, lazily running a hand down Law’s spine until he reached the end of the dildo sticking out of his ass. He pushed it in slowly, causing Law to gasp and moan, his hole sucking it in easily from the amount of lube Kid had covered it with. He felt his throat tighten when Kid continued to play with the dildo in Law’s ass, unrelentingly pulling it out and pushing it in, twisting and tugging and teasing his ass. It left Law wiggling his hips, feeling Kid start to move his own, being fucked on two ends and absolutely fucking _loving_ it. Law’s body was physically shaking, tremors visually coursing through his thighs and arms and hips as his mouth and ass were taken. His cock, untouched and bound, was neglected by both himself and Kid, and the arousal in his stomach and crotch grew exponentially, settling on a potent heat that had him whining from the mix of pain and pleasure. Law could hardly _breathe_ from all the sensations in his body, as well as the thick cock in his mouth being taken in more deeply so that it was hitting the back of his throat. He swallowed around the sensitive flesh, his lack of gag reflex coming in handy. He heard Kid suck in a harsh breath while simultaneously slamming the dildo to the hilt, having lost his controlled pace for a moment because of Law’s talented mouth. Without realising it, Kid had hit Law’s prostate, and the other let out a pained moan as the shock was sent straight to his already burning dick. It was starting to become overwhelming, the stimulation from _all_ ends far too much and-

_Law didn’t want it to fucking stop, goddamn it-_

“Look at me.”

Grey eyes met warm amber ones as another tug of the dildo had it completely removed. Law’s hole twitched from the emptiness and he whined, staring directly into Kid’s eyes, as he gurgled around his cock trying to voice that he wanted to be fucked already. Kid looked like he was just about ready to burst too, and he once again grabbed at the scruff of Law’s neck and threw him back on the bed. The playful teasing had stopped as Kid now loomed over Law, positioning the other’s tan legs on either side of him, lubing up his cock and Law’s ass with a hefty amount. _“PleasepleasepleaseKidhurry-”_ Law sobbed, lightly smacking his head back on his soft pillows with every word in desperation. 

Kid growled, tossing the lube onto the bed and holding Law by his hips as he thrust into him in a swift movement. Law screamed, arching his back, eyes going wide as he stared at the ceiling. He had been prepared well, had been all plugged up with that dildo for who knows how long since Jesus fucking _Christ_ Kid could certainly hold out, but it did not _compare_ to what Kid was currently using to drive him into a mindless frenzy. He was too big, too thick, and Law’s legs quivered as his tight hole tried to suck it all in, the lewd sounds of the squelching lube joining the noise of Kid’s grunting and Law’s heavy pants and chocked sobs. God, he wanted it all inside him now now now but it just wasn’t happening.

Sensing that they were getting nowhere in this current position, Kid growled again, scowling at where they were barely connected. He had only succeeded on popping the fat tip inside Law’s ass and nothing else. Without warning Kid sat up and took Law with him, digging his painted fingernails into the small of his back and seating the man on his lap. Law screamed again, gravity doing its work to help him sink down further onto his cock.

It took a few minutes more and some extra wiggling and lube between their connected sexes before Law was fully impaled, and Kid’s cock was locked into his hole. He took in deep, shuddering breaths, hiccupping as he felt his heart slam into his chest at a rate that was surely not medically safe. Kid was shaking too, triumph written clear as day on his face while he gave time for Law to adjust, his rock solid cock stuffed nice and tight within his ass, filling him better than any dildo ever could. Law’s walls clenched tightly around Kid’s erection, as if that could keep him inside forever. Kid glanced between them, seeing where they were connected and fingering it lightly before running his hand up to rest on Law’s stomach. Law glanced down too, eyes widening in marvel. His stomach was distended, the tip of Kid’s dick making an outline of where it was located within him. Law looked on in disbelief, as this was the first time someone had been so deep inside him it fucking made his belly _protrude._ “Holy fucking _shit.”_ Kid breathed, curling his arms loosely around Law’s waist, almost protectively.

“H-hah, _Kid-”_ Law panted, reaching up to rest his hands on the other’s chest. He hadn’t ever had someone so huge inside of him before to the point where something like this happened, and the feeling of being so fucking full was already putting him in a state of bliss that he didn’t even pay any mind to how his stretched hole was straining around Kid’s girth.

Kid rested his forehead against Law, unexpectedly locking their lips together in a soft kiss. It wasn’t as desperate as when they had started; but it was still unbelievably full of passion and had Law moaning from how _nice_ it was. He hadn’t realised that his eyes began to grow wet, closing his eyes to try and keep the tears at bay lest he lead Kid to believe he was hurting him when he was doing everything _but._

“Okay to move?” Kid asked softly, waiting for Law to respond with an affirmative. When Law nodded, they sucked in a deep breath, kissing once more before Kid shifted his hips.

They both groaned instantaneously from the small, testing movement, the delicious friction coursing through both of their sweaty bodies. Law was muttering incomprehensibly under his breath as he experimentally swayed his hips forward, feeling that huge cock shift within him as he moved.

“Fuck you’re so fucking _tight_ holy fucking _shit,”_ Kid growled like an animal into Law’s ear, all raw power in those words and actions. His teeth found the spot on Law’s neck from earlier and he latched onto it, sucking the flesh deeply while he fucked into Law slowly. The man in his lap sobbed at the feeling of overstimulation, fingers curled into fists where they rested on Kid’s chest as the man controlled the pace. Kid’s grip on his waist was hard enough so that he could be pushed down whenever the other thrust upward, alternating between holding onto him tightly and rubbing small, soothing circles into his hips.

Before they could even fall into a steady rhythm, Kid’s dick hit Law’s prostate and he jolted, a small pained noise coming from his throat. He was sure that if his cock weren’t prevented from doing so, he’d have come right then and there, his balls so fucking heavy with unreleased semen they were starting to ache painfully. They tightened, trying to draw upwards towards his body but there was no relief to be found. Instead, the pain increased tenfold and Law sobbed again, resting his head on Kid’s shoulder, needing _something_ to keep him grounded. _“G-goddamn PLEASE touch m-me-!”_

“You want me to touch you here?” Kid murmured into his neck. He ran his hand from Law’s hip to the man’s oversensitive cock, the dripping tip an angry red. “Like _this?”_ Cruelly, Kid ran one finger up the underside, barely even touching the hot flesh. It was feather-soft, ghosting as if it were simply a cold breeze despite the warmth of Kid’s hand. Law sobbed, cursed, begged, thrust downward as he felt the pre-orgasm shudders wreck his body with nothing to show for it, each movement he made sending Kid’s cock further within him, moving and sliding against his walls. Kid had to pause his own movements too, grunting with strain as he tried to pace himself, an over-eager Law in his lap making that all too difficult. “You want me to touch you so bad I’ll touch you in _here.”_

Kid held onto Law’s hips more tightly and angled his body before slamming upward straight onto Law’s prostate now that he knew where it was. Law’s eyes widened and his mouth parted in a silent scream, helpless when Kid continued to do so again without any sort of pause, the tip of his dick brushing against sensitive nerves sending volcanic _fire_ into his stomach and loins. All too late Law realised that he was having a fucking dry orgasm; his rigid, rock-hard dick bouncing against his stomach with every violent thrust upward Kid fucked into him, balls still heavy with semen that they couldn’t release, and a burning sensation that spread from his crotch to his entire fucking body. The intensity of it was unlike _anything_ Law had had before. Law was suspended in a state of frustrated arousal for which there was no reprieve, all helpless and reliant solely on Kid who was making true on his promise to absolutely _destroy_ him. Oh man, Law was going to die, he could feel it. He was going to die in this man’s arms from overstimulation with a cock shoved inside his ass and he was fucking _happy_ about it.

“God fucking damnit you’re so _sexy,”_ Kid rumbled through clenched teeth.

Law continued to sob, bouncing up and down in the man’s arms. _“R-ring Kid, p-please, t-take off the ring I c-can’t any-more-”_ He managed to sputter out.

True to his word, Kid reached for the ring, prying it off Law’s denied flesh carefully. The man’s hands instantly reached up to claw at Kid’s shoulders, palms so sweaty that they were sliding off while Kid didn’t stop drilling that thick cock into him, throwing the chastity device to the side. “Now I can touch you how you like,” Kid said seductively, fisting his palm around Law’s dick.

 _“Yesyesyes touchmeKid Ineeditsobadplease-!”_ Law’s pleads fell out of his mouth like a prayer as he dug his fingernails into the other’s shoulders, gripping on for dear life while Kid obliged.

It didn’t take at all for Law to climax. Kid pumped him in a powerful grip and with two more thrusts upward that hit right onto his prostate, Law was _gone._

The raven-haired male threw his head back and screamed, squeezing his eyes shut and seeing white spots in the darkness as he orgasmed the most extremely he had ever done in his life. His entire body shook like an earthquake, and his cock – pressed in-between their stomachs – spurted out thick ropes of semen onto their chests. Law’s shouting was cut off by Kid’s hungry mouth devouring him again, swallowing it all and invading the space with his tongue while Law bounced up and down on that enormous dick. He came for so long that by the end of his climax the only thing that was coming out from his cock’s tip was little drops, his entire length dripping with his own spunk. Kid didn’t break their contact as he brought Law down onto the bed again, and went to town now that the other had been taken care of, steadying his hands on either side of the man’s head and fucking him roughly with even more vigour and enthusiasm. Law could hardly comprehend just how long Kid could last in bed – he must have had incredible self-control, because Law was _positive_ this kind of persistence was impossible. It felt like eternity. A wonderful, glorious, goddamn eternity. Law sobbed, legs splayed in the air on either side of Kid, still riding the waves of his orgasm while being pounded into by that thick cock. Kid consumed all of Law’s sounds as his hips smacked into the backs of Law’s thighs, the bed shaking with every movement, slamming against the headboard from the ferocity of their fucking.

Law came again – he hadn’t even been sure that was possible, damn – weaker than before but enough to send him in hysterics from the overstimulation. His asshole clenched around Kid’s dick and soon the red-head was cumming too, right into Law’s heat. His kiss slowed its intensity, becoming lazy as he rode out his orgasms, not pulling out as he rode the wave; just pushing in again and again as he came over and over. Law didn’t even feel it when the other’s hips finally stuttered, laying flush against him for a moment while Kid took time to catch his breath.

They were still and silent in the post-coital bliss. Law wasn’t even sure he was able to move, felt like he wasn’t even in his body anymore. Couldn’t feel a fucking thing other than pure elation and satisfaction.

Kid dropped his head down into the crevice of Law’s neck, and bit the red spot he had been fixated on earlier while Law glanced up at the ceiling with a glazed look on his face. His breathing was steadily evening, but his heart was still hammering in his chest from the excitement. 

Gently, with actions so contrasting from when he was fucking like an animal, Kid pulled out his spent cock, resisting the urge to growl at the amount of semen that was leaking out of Law’s abused hole. “In-fucking-credible…” Kid muttered, glancing down at the lifeless body on the bed. When Law didn’t say anything back, Kid raised an eyebrow. “Law? Hey, you okay?” He asked in a soft voice. Law didn’t respond, faraway eyes still trained at the ceiling, lost in peaceful serenity while he coasted comfortably on cloud fucking nine. “Aw, shit. Hang on, I got ya.” Kid recognised the detachment Law was having at the moment and got off of the man to pull on the sheets that were underneath him over his body. He lay next to Law and covered the both of them up, gently taking the other into his arms. Kid rubbed Law’s back, those hands that had caused his intense pleasure now soothing him in a repetitive gesture.

Law began to respond after a few minutes, eyes fluttering and glancing up at Kid. He felt warm and relaxed and… safe.

Had he… ever felt safe in someone’s arms before?

“W-what…?” Law questioned in a weak voice. His limbs felt like they were not longer made from solid matter – they were watery, jelly-like, too heavy for him to even lift a finger.

“Welcome back. Lost you for a bit there. You okay?”

“M-mmhm… g-good… f-full…” Law’s tongue was slack in his mouth, he could barely swallow and form sentences. That mind of his that usually didn’t switch off was oddly quiet and calm. It was weird, but most definitely welcomed.

Kid smiled down at him. Slowly, his circling fingers reached up to run through Law’s hair, and the man melted into Kid’s arms with a light, pleasurable moan. “Warm enough?”

“Mmm…” Law inched his head forward once in a nod.

“Okay listen,” Kid told him, stopping his soothing motions. “I’m going to be right back okay? I just want to get us both some water and maybe get you a snack.”

Law whined in displeasure, despite the fact that his throat was parched. He wanted to tighten his arms around the man’s waist but found himself unable to do so in his almost inebriated-like state, and almost began to panic at the thought of losing the heat that was comforting him so.

“I promise I’m going to be right back, I’m not going to leave.”

Law was helpless as the man slipped off of the bed, tucking the sheets around him before rushing out of the room, not bothering to slip on any of his clothes. He was gone for only a minute, rustling sounds in the kitchen indicating he was trying to be as fast as possible, and he returned to the room with a box of crackers tucked under his elbow that he had found in Law’s pantry, two tall glasses of water in his hands, and a wet cloth over his arm. Law reached out for him, needing that warmth like he needed air.

Kid nestled back into the bed under the covers, dropping the crackers onto the sheets while leaning against the headboard. He gently coaxed Law upward into a seating position, holding the glass up to the other’s lips and helping him drink. Law was so thirsty he could have inhaled the water in one gulp but Kid would bring the glass down so he couldn’t do so, waiting for Law’s throat to swallow what he had in his mouth before pressing it up against his lips once more. When Law had had enough, Kid popped open the box of crackers and broke one in half, popping one part of it in his mouth before feeding the other side to Law. While Law snacked, Kid used the wet cloth the wipe the sweat off of the man’s face, chest, and arms, seeing the other’s grey eyes flutter shut. After a few more crackers and water to wash it down, Kid lay down with Law still in his arms. They were quiet for a long time. Kid was ready to fall asleep, but he forced himself awake so he could stroke Law’s hair and back, hearing the other’s breathing even out and feeling his heart rate decrease in relaxation.

 _“Wow.”_ Law finally said. Kid chuckled, glancing down at the top of Law’s head when he spoke. The man shifted, nestling into Kid’s body. “That… was amazing…”

“For the both of us.” Kid told him.

“G-god… you came so much…”

“I kinda lost control there, I know you said anything goes but I’m sorry if I crossed a line by doing that-” Kid was interrupted as Law lightly smacked his chest.

 _“No no._ It was… perfect… Just what I wanted.”

Kid smiled, scratching the side of Law’s neck and marvelling at how the man sunk further into him. “Glad to hear it. You feeling better?”

“Yeah.” Law told him.

Kid thought that would be the end of that, ready to drift off to sleep himself now after he was sure Law was okay but he felt the man’s fingers tugging at his arm. “What’s wrong?”

Law continued to tug his arm, using it as a hold to hoist himself up over Kid’s body and straddle his hips. Kid raised his brow, watching Law shift a few times to get comfortable before a determined look crossed the other’s face. “Okay. Ready.”

“Ready for what?” Kid asked.

“Round two. Come on. Let’s go.” Law said, bending down to kiss Kid on the lips.

Kid laughed loudly, the sound rumbling through his chest like thunder during a storm. Law was forced to pull back when the other didn’t respond to his lips, a glare on his face while the red-head reached up and held onto Law’s hips for support. “Goddamn you’re real needy ain’t ya?”

Law lightly smacked Kid on the side of his arm, grinding his hips down. “Shut up and fuck me again.”

“Were you this pushy the first time around?” Kid asked, eyes sparkling with playful amusement.

“No. So what are you going to do about it, _Eustass-ya?”_ Law continued, a smirk on his face. Kid’s name dropped from his lips with emphasis, very clearly done so in an attempt to goad Kid on and get him to do something about it. Law only felt frustration when Kid laughed again, not taking the bait. “What’s so funny!? Did I bring you home to laugh at me or fuck me?” He said angrily.

“Sorry, sorry,” Kid apologised, rubbing Law’s rump tenderly. “I wasn’t expecting you to be up for more so soon.”

“Do you want to or not?” Law asked, wondering if he was perhaps jumping the gun.

In response, Kid brought his hands down on Law’s ass cheeks hard, causing the other to yelp and shuffle forward in his lap. “You bet that fine ass of yours I do.”

“Are you going to demonstrate then or just talk?” Law growled, wiggling in Kid’s lap, feeling the other’s length respond to the movement beneath him, still trying to goad him with his words. They were both growing with arousal, and Law – despite some starting pains – was ready to go all over again, already missing the feeling of Kid inside of him.

“Everything I do is hands on.”

“Then get your hands _on my ass_ again because that felt _fucking good-ah!”_

Law yelped at the next crack of flesh against his skin, harder than before. His body shuddered as Kid sat up from his position in the bed, amber eyes burning with a new fire. Law shuddered, feeling Kid’s fingers press into his slowly reddening flesh and kneed. “Get on your hands and knees, then.”

When Law reflected back onto what happened after obeying Kid’s instruction, he could only think of two things. The first, was that he had been rash and hasty in a way he hadn’t been for years. Not since his first taste of freedom when he couldn’t get enough of punishing, anonymous sex with people other than Doflamingo had he willingly subjected his body to something like this. It was reckless behaviour he thought he had grown out of, but Law for damned sure knew he wasn’t going to regret it, even if it left him hurting for days afterward. And the second thing?

Now that he had met Eustass Kid, there was no way in _hell_ he was letting that man go anytime soon.

\----------

A few rounds of mind-blowing sex occurred throughout the rest of the night, with some breaks in between for water, snacks, and short naps. Law had been bent over in ways he hadn’t thought his body was capable of anymore, and Kid had fully made true on his promise from earlier in the night when he told the doctor he was going to destroy him. After their final bout – was it round four? Law was quite sure his brain resembled mush; he couldn’t for the life of him remember where they were up to – the raven-haired man was nestled up in Kid’s broad chest for good this time. They were both tired now, the intensity of their coupling finally smacking them both in the face like a brick wall.

“You want some’more water?” Kid asked, sitting up, one arm still protectively holding Law in place. Kid figured that the other seemed to like being held after sex, but to Law this was a pretty new development for himself. He wondered if it was because he was dead-tired, or whether he was making an exception because he liked the way Kid’s body felt plastered against his own. Law shook his head at the man’s offer, raven-hair tickling the other man’s chest.

“You going to stay the night?” Law mumbled into Kid’s chest, his eyes already shut.

“Only if you want me to.” Kid responded, taking a sip of his own glass before setting it down.

God. Kid was too good to be true.

“…I’d like that.” Law admitted.

“Cool. ‘Cause I’m already comfy.”

Law lightly smacked Kid’s arm, hearing the other chuckle before bringing the blankets over their bodies. He settled in for the rest of the night, humming contently as he felt Kid’s hand stroke his back once more. It didn’t take very long for the both of them to nod off, drifting into a heavy slumber curled up in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not-So-Fun fact: I rewrote this chapter about four times until I was satisfied with the version posted here. While that was time consuming and somewhat frustrating, from it came some lovely smutty passages that will be used in future chapters~ ^^


	8. Proposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law swallowed thickly. “What do you mean?” He asked.
> 
> Kid smiled at him. That damned smile, goodness, Law was weak at the sight of it. “I like you Law, and I wanna take you out on a real date.” Kid said confidently.
> 
> Law didn’t think his cheeks could get any redder, but his body was surprising him further in these past twelve or so hours. He could feel the heat rise up, prayed that the impending blush wouldn’t be noticeable on his tanned skin at the unexpected offer that Kid had put out on the table. A one-night stand that didn’t want to just leave it at the door the morning after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was intended to be put up yesterday on our boy's birthday but I couldn't get it out on time uwu Happy Birthday Law! One of my favourite ever anime characters~
> 
> Once again thank you for the comments and kudos. Truly means a lot <3
> 
> No severe chapter warnings necessary for this one, other than mentions of past sexual activities and mentions of scars/past injuries.

**29th of September, 2019**

**Law’s Apartment, Grand Line City**

**9:35am**

** Ten months remaining. **

Law woke up groggily to an empty bed that morning.

At first, he was upset, missing the warmth that had kept him feeling safe all night. The side of the bed that was devoid of Kid was still warm and there was a lingering of his musky scent, so Law surmised that he mustn’t have left too long ago. This relaxed him and he sighed with content, stretching his body and feeling the joints pop with satisfaction. A spark of pain momentarily shot up his spine and he groaned, wincing at the stinging reminder that he had been fucked meticulously for hours the night before.

God. Now that he had woken up and was able to reflect on what they had just done, Law didn’t know what to think about himself and his conduct. He was going through a sea of emotions, and wasn’t sure which one of them to pluck out and analyse first. He was happy, that was for sure – Law felt a fire and spark with Kid that he hadn’t had with anyone before, a connection that was so powerful that he now believed had transcended lust, since it was still persisting. He had been fucked so well in a way that he actually had _wanted_ that he couldn’t stop the smile that slowly spread across his face as he lay in bed. Kid was better than anyone else he had ever been with, there was absolutely no question about it. The red-head’s hands had been like fire when they had trailed up and down Law’s body, leaving utter burning desire in their wake, setting his skin ablaze, and making the surgeon feel more alive than ever before. The entire night was like he had been on a roller coaster; the slow, anticipated build-up that became a fast adrenaline-fueled descent, leaving Law absolutely giddy and lighter than a cloud. Kid was just… different. Amazingly so. And Law really liked that about him.

However, it also scared the shit out of him at the same time, because other than the strange positive after-sex feelings Law was trying to cope with, there was also a deep-set embarrassment at his actions from the night before and at how quickly he had fallen for the red-head. Law knew he could be needy in bed, humiliatingly so with the right partner. While he was unwilling with certain people due to it being an obligation rather than an enjoyable activity, Law couldn’t recall a time in the near past where he had brought out that many toys to play with from the get-go. Rough sex was one thing but… fuck, he used a goddamn _cock ring._ Who… who in their _right mind_ made such a bold, risky move with a person they had just met? Of all the crazy ideas…

Yet, despite the utter humiliation – Law was starting to realise, with a blush on his cheeks –the surgeon knew he would do it exactly the same if the opportunity presented itself again. Kid was the best sex Law had ever had, and he would be willing to do even more if it meant it would keep him around.

_God… I really am such a slut…_

Footsteps were heard outside the room and soon after a flaming mop of red hair poked through the doorway. Kid appeared, wearing only his boxers from the night before, looking like he had been freshly showered. Law stared up at Kid from the bed, eyes widening slightly. Kid was still here? He hadn’t left the apartment?

“Mornin’ sleepy. How you holdin’ up?” Kid asked, a cheeriness in his husky voice.

“I’m good…” Law said hesitantly, pulling himself into a seated position and wincing slightly from the pain in his backside. “Did you forget something?”

“Forget what?” Kid asked.

“Well, aren’t you leaving?” Law told him, leaning against the headboard.

“Why the hell would I do that? We haven’t even had breakfast yet.” Kid said with a small roll of his eyes, as if it was obvious.

Kid was staying?

“You don’t have to stay with me. You can go if you would like to.” Law told him, though his own chest tightened at those words. Truthfully, he’d be quite upset if Kid were to leave. Law enjoyed his company so far, and that was saying a lot considering some of the previous company he had kept.

At that Kid’s naked brows creased in a frown, and he lifted himself away from his leaning position against the doorway to approach Law’s form in the bed. “I don’t want to go.” Kid told him seriously. The genuineness that Law had detected from the night prior was also prevalent here too. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look a little red.”

Law couldn’t really say anything to that. He reached up to his face, turning his head and trying to cover his heated cheeks. “I just didn’t realise you’d want to… n-never mind. Yes, I’m alright.” He managed to say in a soft voice. He wasn’t used to this at all; having a bedpartner just stuck around. He was so accustomed to being with people who would just flee his apartment after a one-night stand, or – if it was the opposite – he himself would quietly slip out the morning after. He was expecting Kid to have high-tailed it out of there the second the sun rose, especially after seeing how humiliatingly depraved Law could be in the bedroom.

“Okay, if you’re sure.” Kid said, crossing his arms in front of him. “Anyway, I’m making us coffee and ordered some breakfast. Should be getting here soon. You want some help getting up?”

Law stared up at Kid incredulously. Was he in heaven? Had he truly been fucked to death or something? Was this the perfect man?”

“N-No, I’m okay. I’ll be there in a second.” The doorbell to Law’s apartment rang, and Kid nodded at him.

“Cool, cool. I’ll go get the food. Oh, hope you don’t mind I used your shower.” He said, the cheerfulness back in his voice as he turned to leave the room, leaving Law vaguely wondering if he had just imagined Eustass Kid all together. Honestly if it weren’t for the very-real stinging pain in his ass and the love-bites evident on his chest when he glanced down, Law would have thought everything he had just experienced the night prior had simply been a glorious dream. He was slow to get up, desperate for a shower to relax his bones, but that was all thrust to the side when the scent of delicious food and coffee wafted into his bedroom. His stomach rumbled, and he decided that breakfast would be his first priority. He stood from the bed gingerly, mindful of his tender ass as he bent down to grab his underwear and his hoodie. He slipped both garments on and walked out of the room – well, ‘walked’ was putting it quite lightly. He was wobbly and unsteady because _holy fucking shit_ his hips and ass were aching dreadfully. Law made as much of a beeline as he could for his kitchen where Kid was setting out Styrofoam containers on the counter, whistling a tune as he did so. There were two steaming mugs of coffee on the table and Law reached out and grabbed one, bringing it to his lips and sighing happily at the familiar bitter taste when he took a sip.

“I didn’t know how you take it so there’s no sugar or milk in there,” Kid said, popping the top of the container and revealing a breakfast feast in front of them. Law recognised it immediately as one of the meals offered from the café down the street that he’d frequent with Luffy sometimes; bacon, scrambled eggs, grilled haloumi, sautéed mushrooms, cucumber, tomato, and avocado on sourdough bread. Law approves of the choice, other than the bread at the bottom. He isn’t the biggest fan.

“That’s alright, I drink my coffee black. Thank you for this, you really didn’t have to.” Law told him, watching the man push a container to him and shrug before spearing the food in his own.

“I did promise you food didn’t I?” Kid said with a smirk.

Law raised an eyebrow, continuing to sip his coffee. “I believe you also promised to eat _me_ out, yet here I am. Unsatisfied.”

“Aw, damn,” Kid said, bringing a hand up to his chest. “Shot through the heart. Guess I’m going to have to work harder to satisfy you in future, huh?”

Law’s eyes widened and he playfully clicked his tongue. “Who said there was going to be more?” He asked coyly, wondering to see what the red-head’s reaction would be. He expected an eye roll or for him to get angry but instead, Kid laughed, all hearty and full of life. Law’s heart skipped a beat at the carefree noise.

“Hey, if you want to play hard to get I’m totally down, but I don’t think you can blame me for assuming. I certainly had a great time last night. Safe to say, you did too.” Kid replied confidently, a smirk on his lips, eyes sparkling with playfulness.

Law didn’t bother with a reply, mainly because he didn’t have one. For as much wit as he could spar with in verbal banter, he was coming to the realisation that oftentimes he’d lose all of it when Kid opened his mouth. Instead, Law simply rolled his eyes, taking another sip of his coffee to avoid needing to answer, hearing Kid cackle as he dug into his own food.

They fell into surprisingly easy conversation then, sex talk pushed to the side for now. It was… nice. Domestic. Weird. But overall, Law enjoyed it. He couldn’t finish his entire meal, it was way too much for him so he offered it to Kid who happily polished it off. They discovered more about each other as they drank the rest of their coffee, doing what most people would have done before sleeping together so quickly. Law found out that Kid had recently moved up from the South Line, a warm and tropical place filled with white sandy beaches and teal blue seas. Kid had heard Law was a doctor when Franky had let it slip at the bar, and Law confirmed, both of them speaking about their loving their respective jobs. They had the same taste in music and games and for the most part, films – they’d both watch anything but Kid loved thriller and gore and horror while Law, who saw enough of that at work, preferred sitcoms and television series where he could switch his overactive brain off, as well as the occasional detective drama when he was in the mood.

When they finished their breakfast, Kid waved Law off when the man tried to get out of his seat and help clean up and instead did all the work on his own, disposing of the containers and rinsing out the empty mugs. “So,” Kid said, glancing behind his shoulder at the man at the counter. Law was resting a head on his hand, watching the man’s muscular back as he cleaned the mugs. He hadn’t noticed it in the dimly lit room last night but Kid – who was still dressed only his boxers – had a lot of scarring across his skin. His back was littered with cuts in various degrees of healing. None were open, but there were a few that looked fresher than others. On his left shoulder was a particular nasty, jagged scar, long and uneven, the skin raised there like it had been gashed by a knife multiple times. He had the same kind of look on his chest too, and it piqued Law’s curiosity. He knew better than to ask; his tattoos covered up a lot of his own scarring, damage that had been inflicted on him due to years of abuse at the Donquxiote mansion. He didn’t particularly like to talk about it, and wouldn’t with someone he had just met a few hours ago, so Law assumed that Kid would feel the same kind of way. Not every mark of Law’s could be covered, surely that didn’t escape Kid’s gaze, but there seemed to be a mutual understanding between the two of them not to mention the other’s past scars, and for that Law was thankful. He hoped it wouldn’t ever come up.

“So.” Law repeated. “We should discuss-”

“Let’s talk about-”

They both spoke at the same time, the issue of where to go next pressing on both their minds. They chuckled.

“Go ahead.” Kid told him, shutting off the water and reaching for the cloth to wipe his hands dry before turning to the other.

“Okay.” Law started, chewing his bottom lip and trying to think of how he was going to voice out his thoughts. _It would help if I knew what in the hell I want to say._ “First of all, I very much enjoyed last night.”

“Me too.” Kid affirmed, walking closer to Law and leaning on the opposite side of the counter so that they were face to face. Even without the lust and arousal dripping off of Kid, Law swore to the high heavens of Marie Geoise itself that the red-head was just as gorgeous now as he had been last night. His amber eyes still burned with the flame that Law was beginning to associate him with, and his smile – while gentle – quirked up at the sides as though Kid had a secret, giving him a look of utter sexiness. Law felt as though he paled in comparison in various ways, and he willed himself not to be lost in the other’s direct gaze so he could continue speaking. 

“Secondly… well, as great as it was, I do have to wonder about what exactly you’re expecting of me now.” Law continued slowly. “I wasn’t exactly looking into anything more than just a fuck when I saw you at the bar.”

Kid shrugged. “I’d do it again though, if you wanted to.” He replied.

“I would too.”

They were quiet for a moment. Kid ended up clearing his throat to break the silence before speaking again. “You know Law, if I’m being honest.” He started saying. “I wasn’t really looking for anything more either, but after… you know. And now. Well , I’d also like to get to know _you_ s’more.” He finally said.

Law swallowed thickly. “What do you mean?” He asked.

Kid smiled at him. That damned smile, goodness, Law was _weak_ at the sight of it. “I like you Law, and I wanna take you out on a real date.” Kid said confidently.

Law didn’t think his cheeks could get any redder, but his body was surprising him further in these past twelve or so hours. He could feel the heat rise up, prayed that the impending blush wouldn’t be noticeable on his tanned skin at the unexpected offer that Kid had put out on the table. A one-night stand that didn’t want to just leave it at the door the morning after.

What was going to happen next, Law wondered. Were pigs going to fly? Perhaps he’d win the lottery?

“I-I’m not quite sure I’m looking for that kind of relationship.” Law said, his defences immediately pulled up. What if Kid had only said he liked him because Law had put out? That was a huge possibility.

If Kid was disappointed at Law’s answer, he didn’t show it. His eyes did seem to soften though. “I understand. But would you be willing to try if I asked you out on a date?”

Law thought on it for a moment, finding it difficult to do so with how hard he felt his heart pumping in his chest, the thudding noise all he could fucking hear. He was tip-toeing across dangerously treacherous territory here, and he was mindful of mis-stepping and ruining it for himself and Kid. Despite his hesitance and his own paranoid fears, Law was curious to see whether something like this would even work. His brain was practically screaming at him for automatically trying to shut the other down so quickly, but the other side of his head was reminding him about his past relationships, and how he didn’t seem to be able to hold onto anything of that nature. Intimacy of that kind could be quite difficult, and while Law could show it in the bedroom, outside of that was a far different tale.

In addition, his entire _being_ couldn’t fathom how a wonderful, handsome man like Kid would be interested in someone like him in the first place.

Thinking on it for a moment more, Law finally responded. “...I suppose I would try.” He admitted quietly.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” Kid said softly, almost immediately as if sensing his worry, reaching out to stroke Law’s hand. “We don’t even gotta have sex at the end of it. I’ll just take you out, we’ll eat, talk. See if anything clicks. If so, and you wanna do it again, that’s great. If not, then it doesn’t mean we have to stop seeing each other or anything. There’s no pressure.” Kid told him.

Law felt more assured at that, and considered the proposal. It sounded very simple, the way Kid was describing it, and he liked that aspect of it. He _did_ want to see Kid again, but there was one tiny detail gnawing on the back of his mind that prevented him from answering instantly with an affirmative. Every year Law knew he would end up in Doflamingo’s bed; this was a certainty. Whether he wished to or not – and Law absolutely did _not_ – he couldn’t imagine that any man seeking a monogamous relationship would be happy about his partner sleeping with someone else. It would be selfish of Law to do something like that to Kid, and completely unfair of him to ask. He couldn’t just string him along for months only to break up with him because he had to uphold a deal with the man who had had a hold over him since childhood.

Still… what Kid was suggesting sounded good, and it had been a while since Law had taken the time to know someone on a deeper level. His last proper relationship was years ago with a cop friend of Luffy’s, and ever since it had only been one night stands or few week hook-ups. He really, _really_ wanted to try, especially because he was sure the connection he had felt for Kid when he first saw him extended beyond just sex, and he desired to explore it further.

“Okay.” Law decided with a nod, giving himself up to his desires. “Let’s do that.”

Kid’s face seemed to light up, and the sight was enough to both relax Law and leave him with a sense of slight excitement for their potential future meetings. “Cool.” Kid said, squeezing Law’s hand lightly before releasing it. “As for sex, based on yesterday, I think we need to outlines some things we’re happy with doing and other things we won’t go near.”

“Like a list?” Law asked.

“Yes. Kinks and limits. I know you said anything goes but you kind of worried me there when I lost you.” Kid said. “I’ll take care of ya if it happens again, but I want to make sure I’m doing the right thing and not fucking you up.”

_I’m already fucked up,_ Law thought to himself bitterly, though he couldn’t stop his heart from swelling with appreciation at those words. The fact that Kid seemed to care for a piece of shit like him was beyond Law, but as that kind of affection didn’t come so easily to him, he was going to hold onto it for dear life.

“Worried about little old me?” Law ended up saying playfully, cocking his head to the side.

“Oh if last night is any proof, I’m sure you can handle your own,” Kid said with a smirk. “But in general, yeah. I kind of lose it myself, and I need to know that I’m not doing anything to ruin the experience for the both of us. Peace of mind and all that jazz. S’why I asked you for a safe word.”

“Alright. I’ll make a list, since there are other things I don’t really want that I didn’t mention to you.” Law said with a nod.

“Great. We can talk about it when I take you out for dinner this week.”

Goodness the man was sweeping him off his feet with every word that came out of his mouth.

“It’s a date then. Text me the details and I’ll be there.”

The two exchanged numbers, and Law felt a lot more relaxed about his decision now. Whatever happened would happen, he supposed, and if he and Kid didn’t last then he was sure it would be alright. Problems tend to find solutions, even if it wasn’t the desired outcome. If things did go south, Law would be upset, but he’d deal. He’s gone through heartbreak before, and he was sure that his desire to know more about the man was simply curiosity and would ebb before long so there wouldn’t be too much to cry over anyway.

“I should go. I got an afternoon shift at the shop later.” Kid announced.

Law nodded, holding onto the counter and lifting himself off of his seat, trying not to let his discomfort show. “Okay. I’ll be taking a shower then.”

“Need help walkin’?” Kid asked with a smirk on his face.

Law glared at the man, turning his head with a _‘humph!’_ in embarrassment. “I’m fine.” He scoffed, shuffling along to his bedroom with Kid hot on his trail. “I don’t need supervision in my own apartment.”

“No harm done in making sure. Plus my clothes are still in your bedroom so I’m going this way anyways. Might as well watch your back.” Kid said with a wink, walking slightly behind Law, resting one of his large hands on the small of the other’s back and helping him hobble along.

“Hm. Back or backside?” Law mumbled, unable to help smiling at the playful smirk on Kid’s face.

“Same difference.”

Barely, but Law supposed he’d let that slide. “Do whatever you wish.”

“I could think of a few things to wish for but they do involve you.”

Once again Law was rendered speechless, face going pink as he reached the bathroom. _Cocky bastard._

“J-just make sure you lock the door when you decide to leave.” Law told Kid, closing the bathroom door softly behind him. He leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath and willing his heart to slow down. Goddamn it. There was just something about Kid that set his heart aflutter. If it wasn’t his drop-dead gorgeous handsome looks, it was his confident attitude and cocky one-liners that had Law grinning at the cheekiness of it all. Things were just easy with Kid, and it was unlike anything he had had before.

_Would a relationship with him also be easy?_ Law wondered to himself, seriously contemplating the offer Kid had proposed to him with every passing second.

Law supposed that dwelling on that would have to wait. For now, he needed a nice, long, hot shower. Sex was great, but he could only deal with the messiness of it for so long before the feeling of disgust started creeping up his skin. It really did hit Law just how reckless he had been last night, and he cursed both himself and Kid as he gingerly shuffled to his shower and turned the knobs for the hot water. Thankfully, Law didn’t have to go into work today so he could spend a sufficient portion of his day taking it easy and relaxing, which was very much needed considering the pain he was in. As much as Law loved his job, it was nice to have some time off for himself too.

Law made quick work of cleaning himself up in the scolding hot water. He let out a happy sigh, always enjoying the feel of water on his skin, rejuvenating his very soul, washing away all of his worries. He made sure to wash every inch of himself thoroughly, carefully cleaning out his backside from all the semen that was still in there. He left the shower, dried off and wrapped his towel around his waist. Law caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, silver eyes racking over his upper chest. Gently, Law reached up to some of the more prominent marks that Kid had gifted him when his glorious mouth had nipped and sucked his flesh. They had hurt in the moment but that was fine since he got off of light pain, but now it wasn’t so bad; Kid really hadn’t bitten down hard enough to make him bleed or anything, and there was a pleasant sting now that Law did like because it reminded him of just how much of a good time he had had.

Leaving the bathroom, Law went to his bedroom to get dressed and grab his phone. He figured he owed some texts to certain people he had left the night before in his haste to leave the bar with Kid. He grimaced when he saw just how many messages there were, reading them one by one.

_**Zoro:** Sanji told me you left early so you could get all sexed up. Good to see you having fun again!!! HAHAHA!_

_**Sanji:** Not feeling well my ASS! You were so damned obvious last night. Can’t wait to hear all the juicy details. You better not leave anything out about what you two got up to, that Kid guy looks like a real good time. His muscles can’t touch mosshead’s ones of course but damn Law. Fucking damn. You know how to pick ‘em._

_**Franky:** Hope you’re feeling better Law! Make sure to take a day off so you can recover. No good if the doctor is sick after all!_

_**Franky:** Aaaaaand Robin just told me the two of you left for another kind of reason. Oh man! Please return Kid to me in good shape, he has an afternoon shift tomorrow!!!!_

_**Bepo:** Captain! You left your hat in the bar when you disappeared! I’m so happy you still wear it~ I’ll make sure to return it to you at work. TTYL!_

_**Nami:** Well well well. I was hoping to talk more to that hunk you took home with you. Research purposes, of course! Just wanted to, ahem, FEEL him out a little. Not physically like YOU obvious did! ;) But seriously though, I won oh so much of beli from his victory over my poor boyfriend, wanted to see if there was anything else worth betting on. I’m sure you’d know, right Law ;) Brunch this week for the dirty deets? Your shout, of course ;3_

_**Chopper:** Franky told me you were feeling sick but the way Sanji was laughing so hard after you left revealed all. BE CAREFUL, PLEASE? I know you say you like it rough or whatever but if he leaves you all bloody like that one guy did before then I’m telling the others and I won’t be responsible if they beat him up! Call me in the morning so I know you’re okay please xx_

_**Penguin:** OKAY SO MAN OH MAN DO I NEED TO TELL YOU ABOUT LAST NIGHT WITH THE CAFÉ GUY! We bailed out of the bar pretty soon after you did and oh my GOD did we have a nice time! No, we didn’t sleep together! We just like… talked man, while walking under the stars, holding each other’s hands… it was MAGICAL UGH HE’S A GENTLEMAN LAW! I can’t wait to tell you more about Kil, he's so dang cute! In return I’ll listen to you talk about his friend since that’s where he told me you disappeared to~_

_**Luffy:** Tarao! U missed the party! Ussop accidentally shot Brook in the BUTT wif a dart & he jmped so HIGH he fell off the stage & broke 1 of the tables! Shishishi!!!! Pineapple was so mad & his old man couldn’t stop laughing! Ahhhh u shouldn’t have left early. Next time don’t leave! Parties are better when all friends are 2gether :D_

__

__

Law smiled at his phone, scrolling through the various messages and already starting to think of replies to some. He was happy for Penguin, concerned for Brook, and bashful at those of his friends who wanted to delve into the details of his sex life. Sure he’d tell some of it, but not all. No way. He couldn’t risk anyone else finding out about what he thought to be undesirable bedroom habits, and in general he preferred to keep most things private. He was at his most vulnerable in bed – he’d absolutely die if his picture-perfect image was tainted with friends knowing about his deepest, darkest secrets.

Before he could reply to anything Law heard noises coming from his living room. Walking slightly better now that the hot water had soothed his bones a little, Law curiously set his course to the main room, where the television was on. When he emerged into the living room, he was met with Kid propped up on his couch, lounging about like he owned the damned thing, with Law’s television remote in his hand. He seemed to have found Law’s streaming service, and was browsing through series and movie titles.

“Still here?” Law asked in surprise.

“Just adding some shit to your watch list. Hey you have that Prison Break on there, you ever see it? Great damned show, got a smartie-pants protagonist so I think you’d like it.” Kid replied nonchalantly, a cheeky grin on his face. “Plus like I said, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t fall in the shower.”

“O-oh,” Law sputtered, feeling that twinge in his heart again. Damn, that really needed to stop because now he was starting to think this was becoming a borderline medical problem. “W-well. Thank you.”

“Sure.” Kid said with a smile, getting up off of the couch and tossing the remote down on the cushions. “Alright, I’m out for real this time. See you later this week.” He said, brushing past Law, lips tantalisingly close to his own but simply skimming the surface of his cheek in a tease. He touched Law’s shoulder and squeezed it lightly in a lingering goodbye before he was out of the apartment, the front door closed with a ‘click’ behind him.

Law let out a shuddering breath and waddled over to the couch, collapsing into the indent Kid’s form left behind. Much like his bed had been, the couch was still warm like the man himself was, and a feeling of calm washed over Law as he settled in comfortably against the cushions. Deciding to reply to the messages from last night, Law brought up Chopper’s contact and rang. The younger man picked up the phone in less than three rings.

_“Good morning Law!”_ Chopper greeted, sounding quite chipper this morning.

“Hi Chooper-ya,” Law said. “Just calling you back like you asked me to in your text.”

_“Aah thank you! I was wondering if you would. Are you okay? You’re not hurt right?”_

“Trust me, I’ve never been better.” Law assured his friend with a content sigh, thankful for the check-up. “Kid seems to be a nice guy, and we may be seeing each other again soon.”

_“O-oh! That’s nice…!”_ Chopper replied, the nervousness in his voice showing. Law tried not to bring up sex when the other was around, knowing how flustered it could make him. Chopper was a damned good doctor, could deal with all kinds of situations at work, but hearing about the sex lives of his best friends usually had him going red in the face.

Taking pity on poor Chopper, Law laughed. “I mean a date, Chopper-ya.”

_“Really?”_ Chopper asked incredulously. _“That’s really good news Law!”_

“Is it? How so?”

_“Of course it is! You’ve actually found someone you want to spend some time with, which I know is hard for you to do. Plus you haven’t gone a real date in so long right? You mentioned it a while ago that you feel alone sometimes and that work usually gets in the way of meeting someone, so this is awesome news to see you trying.”_

For some reason, Chopper’s excitement seemed to make Law worry some more. He tried to shove aside his apprehension and just cleared his throat, even though everything Chopper was saying was true. “You think so?” Law asked. Oh god, now that he was aware of it possibly being a weird thing for him to come out and say he was starting to think he had made a mistake agreeing to Kid’s request. He should just back out. Just text Kid and say he was having second thoughts, a relationship wouldn’t work, couldn’t work with Law, something, _anything_ to avoid making a fool of himself in front of that wonderful man…

_“It’s not strange to want to go out with someone you’re interested in Law.”_ Chopper said with a light chuckle, not realising his question had sent Law in a spiral of self-doubt. _“I’m sure you’ll have a great time, if he’s really as nice as you say he is.”_

“He is. Truly.” Law said quietly, taking some deep breaths to calm himself down a little. His response seemed good enough for Chopper, who wished him luck over the phone.

Steering the conversation away from Kid, and Law’s confusing thoughts about going through with a date, he asked about last night. “Did you and the others have a good time? Luffy sent me quite an amusing text message.”

_“Oh yeah!”_

Law settled back into the couch, resting his head on the back and looking to the ceiling, closing his eyes as Chopper excitedly recounted the rest of the evening to him and distracting him from his heavy thoughts. In addition to Ussop’s accidental dart throwing, there had been a drinking contest – Zoro and Marco’s old man Edward Newgate were the victors, of course – dancing, karaoke, and for some reason, a piñata. Nobody knew who had brought it along but nobody really cared either, just went along with it. That’s how that crew of friends usually was; they rode the winds and followed wherever the road took them, carefree and completely at ease. Law and Chopper ended up laughing over the phone together as they were lost in pleasant, fond memories about their group.

_“Are you rostered on for today?”_ Chopper ended up asking him after a comfortable silence about half an hour into the conversation.

“Not tonight, though I do have an early morning start tomorrow at four.”

_“Ah you’ll be relieving me then, I’m about to go in now with Bepo.”_

“That’s a long shift. I’ll come during your lunch break bring you two some food and an energy drink.” Law promised him, knowing that the young doctor was like him in the sense that he often forgot to eat during long shifts, or just simply didn’t have the time because of how busy it could be.

_“Thanks Law! I have to go get ready, so I’ll talk to you later. Bye!”_

“Goodbye, Chopper.”

The two hung up and Law breathed a relived sigh. Since he had the rest of the day off and nothing much to do since most of his paperwork was done, he thought it would be best to take advantage of the quiet and take it easy, needing some time to recuperate after last night’s activities with Kid. Law picked up the remote and flicked to his streaming service, looking at the suggestions that had been added to his “to watch” list curtesy of Kid. Relaxing back into the couch, Law clicked on one and settled down, letting his thoughts wander at the possibility of getting to know the enigma that was Eustass Kid.


	9. Ain't No Rest For The Wicked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To Kid, for the first time in his life, he was going to do his best to stay out of trouble. He wouldn’t so much as litter on the goddamn street. If that gang member thought he could intimidate Kid, make him cower like a dog with his tail in between his legs, he was damned wrong. He was going to fucking _live_ that regular life he had been craving forever. He was going to work a job he liked, get to know good honest people he could call friends, explore his budding relationship with Law, and fucking enjoy every single moment of it.
> 
> Kid had done far too much to get to this point. He wasn’t going to give up now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Terribly sorry for the delay with this chapter - the intention is to get a new one up once a week, but unfortunately life and work and study got in the way. The next one might also be a little bit late, as this was my last fully edited and pre-prepared chapter, and I apologise in advance for any lateness in future 🙏
> 
> I once again thank you for the kudos and the comments. From the bottom of my heart, they mean so much to me. Thank you 🖤
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 10: Physical violence/fighting, mentions of past child abuse, mentions of past child neglect, mentions of sex (from prev. chapter), mentions of minor character deaths, hella swearing

**29th of September, 2019**

**Grand Line City Streets**

**The same morning**

** Ten months remaining. **

Kid made his way down the neat and tidy street where Law’s apartment building was located with a cigarette in between his fingers and a tune being hummed on his lips. He was slightly exhausted, but also unbelievably sated and elated, a spring in his step as he walked despite the ache in his thighs from exertion. Of all the things he had been expecting when meeting Franky’s friends, he had not anticipated immediately hitting it off with one of them and then engaging in multiple rounds of _mind-blowing_ sex in the course of one night.

Trafalgar Law. Damn.

What a man.

Kid had been, of course, physically attracted to Law at first. He was tall and lean, had legs that ran on for fucking days, all clad in tight material that exposed his curves so much so that he might as well have been naked. Kid had been taken in by those intense grey eyes that seemed to pierce through his very soul, and seeing him for the first time across the pool table had been like a shock of electricity running throughout his entire body. He couldn’t explain the connection he had felt when he saw Law, like a rope tethering them together. His concentration almost been broken and he could hardly think of anything other than finishing his pool game as quickly as fucking possible so he could sit down and just _talk_ to the man who had stopped his heart in his chest.

It had been a pleasant surprise when Kid actually did get to speak with him after escaping Luffy’s clutches, and he found his attitude and personality to be just as attractive as his looks were. Playful, and teasing, but equal parts intelligent and poised. Whether he was matching him word for word with their banter at the bar or simply telling him a little about his life in the kitchen of his apartment the morning after they had fucked, Kid felt like he could talk to him for fucking hours.

Sure, he didn’t know _everything_ about Law, and that was fine. Kid wasn’t particular forthcoming himself on the finer details about his personal life; they had only met once after all, and it wouldn’t be wise to lay everything onto the table. Especially since Kid had a fucktonne of baggage that would surely scare the doctor off if he caught wind of it. Hell, Kid was worried he almost _had_ scared Law off when he had asked for a date, considering the look of concern that had crossed his face at the suggestion. Kid had noticed it; the scepticism and hesitation in Law’s response. Kid wasn’t book smart, but a life lived predominantly on the streets gave him keen senses in other areas, especially when it came to reading other people. It didn’t escape him Law seemed reluctant at his offer, Kid had to wonder why that would be the case. Anyway, he was glad that Law eventually got on board the idea, and was already thinking of their future date, and the fun things they could get up to. He was honestly surprised that someone as beautiful and witty as Law hadn’t been snatched up by another person already, and was going to try and keep it that way unless that person was himself.

God, and the _sex._ Fuck, Kid didn’t even want to think about how good it was lest he get hard all the fuck over again. Law was sex-on-fucking-legs, and checked all of Kid’s damned boxes when it came to his kinks, which Kid had discovered a long time ago was an important part if he wanted to uphold any kind of relationship with a person, be it just sex or more intimate. He held onto the hope that if it worked so well in the bedroom then it was most likely going to work out of it to, even if that hope hadn’t really proven true in his own experiences. Thinking back to the people Kid had slept with him the past, none of them had ever really lasted all that long regardless of how well either aspect worked; plus, not all of them had been willing to be as adventurous in the bedroom as Law had been. Shit man, Kid even remembered to when he had been with someone who had physically run out of the room when he had suggested some of the stuff that Law had willingly brought to him, even though he made it clear he wouldn’t fucking do anything the other didn’t want. But Law had seemed to be just as kinky and filthy-minded as Kid was, and that slotted in perfectly with his deep desires in the bedroom.

Kid was unsure about what was going to transpire from here on out, but while it was progressing he was for damned sure going to take full advantage of this new ‘relationship’ of the man that had so quickly fallen into his lap – _both figuratively and literally,_ Kid thought with a smirk.

Man. He really was excited for their date. He figured that he’d try and get Killer’s input as well, the guy was secretly such a sappy romantic – even if he refused to fucking admit it – so he was sure he’d have some good ideas for a first date. Kid pulled his phone from his pocket and took a drag from his cigarette, punching the call button under Killer’s name and waiting for a pickup. It almost rang out, and Kid was about to hang up when his best friend’s voice answered.

 _“Good morning Kid.”_ Killer greeted.

“Mornin’ Kil. You get home okay last night?” Kid asked, continuing to make his way down the street. He didn’t know this part of the city very well, and thought since he had some time to kill before he had to book it to work, he was going to take in some of the sights and become familiar with the surroundings. He figured that he’d be spending a lot of time here if he was going to be dropping by Law’s place as frequently as he wished, so why not become accustomed to his area? The buildings here seemed to be kept in better condition than the one he and Killer had rented towards the outskirts, though they hadn’t really cared about that sort of thing when they moved in. It was more about having a roof under their heads than it was for luxury. Sure, a bigger place would have been better but at this stage it just wasn’t affordable. Not until their money came in, anyway.

 _“Yeah I did. And I’m guessing since I didn’t hear you come in before I left this morning, you had a good night.”_ Killer responded, his voice lightly teasing.

Kid smirked to himself, images of the doctor twisting and writhing beneath him in pleasure assaulting his mind. Now that was something he’d like to have a repeat of. “What do you think?”

_“I think I don’t want to hear about your sexcapade, ‘cause I don’t really feel like throwing the fuck up right now.”_

“Aw come on, I’m not that disgusting.”

_“You say that, but I remember that one time in Sabaody when I walked in on you and that whore and you two were that position-”_

“Shuddup. I was still practically a kid then.”

_“You’re a Kid now.”_

Kid rolled his eyes, knowing that if Killer was in front of him that fucker would be smirking at that stupid joke he made. Could practically hear the grin through the phone. Growing up with an unfortunate name like ‘Kid’ it was only natural that others started making puns. Difference between Killer and other guys who dared do such a thing was that Kid had no problems knocking out any fucker who insulted him like that. Killer would get a pass – mainly because Killer could punch just as hard as Kid could, if not harder, and the red-head didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that force. “Whatever. Law and I had fun, and I’ll be seeing him again later this week when I take him out for a date.”

_“Well well well. A date, huh? That’s a change of pace for you. Nice to see you thinking of getting serious for a change while getting some at the same time. I think that was your longest ever dry spell.”_

“You’d be getting some too if you’d grow some damned balls and talk to that café guy you keep gushing about. Is that where you are right now? You spying on your café cutie?” Kid teased, cackled to himself while Killer let out an annoyed grunt.

_“I’ll have you know he was at the bar yesterday. Turns out he’d friends with everyone else your boss is acquainted with.”_

Kid smirked. “Oh? Well damn, I didn’t even know he was there. What did _you two_ get up to?”

_“Nothing gross like you. We just walked around and talked the entire night. If you’ve forgotten I’m trying to take it slow this time. Rushing would be unwise.”_

“Slow is boring.”

 _“It’s working. We spent so long together just talking and getting to know each other under the fucking stars.”_ Killer said with a content sigh. _“We’ve been texting all morning. He’s really sweet.”_ Killer said, a hint of pride in his voice.

Kid smiled. After all the shit Killer had gone through – as well as his self-consciousness over the scars that had taken a chunk out of his confidence – his best friend deserved to find someone who’d treat him right. Truly, Kid was happy for his best friend, glad that they could both be sharing excitement like this together too.

Still. He couldn’t miss the opportunity to poke some fun at Kil too. “Well goddamn Killer, good for you. I hope I’m invited to the wedding. You know, like twenty years from now, considering the _snail’s pace_ it’s taking you to actually start coming on to this guy.”

_“Shut it. I’m doing me and it’s working.”_

Oh man Kil was making it way too easy. Kid snickered and responded. “And you’ll only be doing you at the rate you’re going.”

Killer swore loudly and then hung up while Kid laughed, needing to stop in his tracks as his friend sent him angry messages in succession about how much of a shit he was and how one of these days he would _not_ be held responsible for his actions of sending his best friend to the ICU after beating his face in.

_**Kil:** honestly how have you survived this long the way you are kid? _  
_**Kil:** u’re so fkn stupid sometimes_

_**Kid:** its ‘cause i’ve have u 2 protect me <3_

_**Kil:** not if u keep running ur damn mouth_  
_**Kil:** but srsly tho happy 4 you_

_**Kid:** I’m happy for you too. Can’t wait to hear all about your romantic walk in the stars_  
_**Kid:** Also need your big brain to help me figure out a date idea_

_**Kil:** sure thing_  
_**Kil:** oh btw_  
_**Kil:** something else for you to be happy for me about_  
_**Kil:** i got a job_

_**Kid:** oh shit really? congrats dude! u gonna be workin with me and franky? _

_**Kil:** nope, but ill give u a hint_  
_**Kil:** p a s t a_

_**Kid:** a restaurant? _

_**Kil:** yep. baratie, where they make that pink fettucine. sanji – remember blondie with the curly eyerow? – he owns the place. Anyway, he said lack of experience is no probs, since its just waiting tables and basic setting up stuff_

_**Kid:** that’s a sweet gig dude_  
_**Kid:** bummer we wont be at the shop tgther, but im really happy for you_

_**Kil:** better this way, i can only do the small stuff but fixin cars is more ur thing than mine_

_**Kid:** true_  
_**Kid:** so_  
_**Kid:** does this mean i get free food?_  
_**Kid:** :)_

_**Kil:** hell yes_  
_**Kil:** pasta 4 fkn days🍝_  
_**Kil:** but maybe not on the first day_  
_**Kil:** gtg, im walking in for a shift rn_  
_**Kil:** will be home before you, it’s just an intro thing. I’ll order us some pizza_

_**Kid:** all good. have a good first day_

_**Kil:** love u dude_

_**Kid:** love u too, brother_

Kid pocketed his phone, finishing off his cigarette and wandering around the town for a little bit more. The closer he got to the city the busier everything became; the crowds got bigger, places were more crowded, the sights shifted from lush green trees to sky high concrete buildings and the fresh air was replaced with city smog and outdoor food stall fried goodies that lined the streets. Kid was used to the congestion of the city, having operated deep within the bowels of the one he had lived in back in the South Line. There was a comfort in the bustle of people around him, despite the fact that he was more of a homebody nowadays. He walked around for about an hour or so, sampling some of the street food and doing some window shopping before deciding he should head home and get changed and ready for work.

\----------

There was something wrong and Kid could feel it following him all the way from his walk home when he had left the main city area. Something in the air felt off, and Kid couldn’t shake it. It put him on edge, especially since when he glanced around discreetly he couldn’t see anybody there despite feeling so very strongly that there was. Either Kid was being overtly paranoid, or there was a person around who was damned good at hiding in plain sight during the day. Always one to trust his instincts – especially in his previous line of work where it was essential for survival – Kid changed his route so that he wasn’t headed to his apartment. If he was being followed, then there was no need to lead his pursuer directly to his home. Instead, Kid weaved through the streets and waited to see if the feeling would subside. When it didn’t, he sighed angrily and lit another cigarette, deciding it was time to nip this in the bud. He ducked into an empty alleyway lined with dumpsters; open on both ends, and far away enough from the city’s commotion so that if shit went down, nobody would hear.

It didn’t take long for the person tailing him to join in him the alleyway. Kid kept his eyes trained on the tall form that emerged at the opening, casting a menacing shadow on the cobbled stone floor from the way the sun was hitting it from behind. The person had their hands shoved in the pockets of a his floor-length trench coat, which Kid thought was the most impractical fashion choice to make considering how warm it was right now. They were silent for a moment, Kid leaning against one of the brick walls and blowing out a puff of smoke into the air around him.

“The fuck do you want?” Kid finally spoke, eyes trained on the form.

“Hmpf.” A gruff male voice answered him, the others head lifting upward to face Kid’s form so the red-head finally got a good look at him. It wasn’t anyone Kid remembered seeing before; an older looking man with black hair and dark sunglasses that obscured his face and – was that a fucking sunny-side up egg stuck on his cheek? 

The man shuffled on his feet from side to side, crossing his arms in front of him and taking a step forward before answering him. “Just wanted to know what a Kaido bitch is doing in Donquixote territory.”

Kid felt his blood turn to ice in his veins.

Fuck.

_Fuck._

“Hey now.” Kid said with a large toothy grin that he hoped masked the worrying thoughts that swirled through his head like a cyclone about how his past had caught up to him in the most inconvenient way. “You don’t even know my damned name, I could be a hooker for all you know. I charge by the half hour by the way so if you want me to take my clothes off then time to pay up, big boy.”

In an instant the man had crossed the alleyway to get to Kid, clearly unamused at the cavalier attitude. The second the man was in his reach, Kid’s cigarette dropped from his lips as he lifted a hand to stop the impending punch that the other than thrown. It seemed that the stranger hadn’t been hadn’t been expecting Kid to block it, growling when the red-head twisted his arm and went for an uppercut, hitting the man in the stomach and pushing him back.

He recovered quickly, snarling at Kid and jumping at him again; the two became locked into a fierce fist fight. Kid held his ground but had to hand it to the stranger; he didn’t give up easy and matched Kid’s every move with one of his own. When Kid went for an offensive, the guy was able to shift out of the way like he was made of fucking liquid before sending it right back to him, having Kid duck out of harm’s way in the very nick of time.

Kid growled, pulling back before sending a hard punch in the guy’s way that hit home, the man’s head snapping back onto the brick wall of the alley and shifting his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose. Kid couldn’t revel in the victory though because that punched set something off in the guy that made him more aggressive, and soon Kid was having a hard time fending off attacks. They were both beat to hell, bloody and panting as they grappled and lashed out and tried to overpower one another.

In a final attempt to knock this loser down and get some damned answers about why the fuck he was being attacked, Kid moved to send another punch right into the guy’s face. The fucker anticipated it this time, stuck his pointed-toe shoe out to trip Kid as his body weight was propelled forward, and grabbing by the upper arm. He was able to use Kid’s momentum to turn him around and throw towards into a metal dumpster that clanged loudly when he was thrown against it.

Kid grunted as he hit into the metal, pain exploding into his shoulder, which took the brunt of the force. He ground his teeth together, grabbing his arm close to his chest and twisting his body to the man, who was breathing heavily and bleeding from his nose. Kid sent him a murderous look, thinking enough was e-fucking-nough.

“What the fuck do you want from me? I’m not trying to do shit here, man.” Kid spat out, the hand of his injured arm in a fist, ready to spring into action even if it was throbbing like hell and bent out of place. Fuck he was pretty sure it was dislocated.

“Are you kidding, or are you just playing wet behind the ears?” The man sneered, wiping some sweat off of his brow with the back of his hand. “You think that the great Donquixote Doflamingo doesn’t know when other mob bosses are sending snitches into his territory? How the hell long have you even been in the game?”

“First the fuck of all, your Don mustn’t be all that _great_ if he think I’m a snitch, ‘cause I sure as hell ain’t one.” Kid said, the man huffing loudly at the insult. “Second, I’m not even in the game anymore. Take whatever crap you have up with Kaido and leave me the fuck alone, you piece of shit.” Kid said with a scoff, cursing his old boss in his mind. How in the ever loving _hell_ was he discovered like this? He swore right then and there that if Kaido broke his fucking promise to spread the word that Kid was officially retired from a life of crime then Kid would go all the way back to the South Line and rip him limb from limb.

“You’re Eustass Kid.” The man said, taking a step forward and cocking his head to the side. “Made quite the name for yourself this year with all the trouble down in the South Line. You’re the guy who took down Big Mam and got Kaido all her land, including Wano. Fucking _Wano._ ”

Eustass scoffed, turning his head away. “It’s got nothing to do with me. I told ya, I’m not in that gang anymore.”

“You never truly leave a gang, Kid.” The man said in a serious voice.

“Who the fuck even are you to tell me what I can and can’t do? And who the hell are you anyway?” Kid spat out. If the past really was coming back to haunt him he might as well be prepared with as much information as he could, and that started with this guy giving him his name.

“The name is Vergo, from the great Donquixote family.” He said with pride evident in his voice.

Kid rolled his eyes. “Yeah, broken record, I heard ya the first two fucking times about that fucked up gang. You got nothing to be proud about.” Kid responded, watching anger flare up in Vergo’s face at his lack of respect.

“You better watch your mouth, you insolent brat.” Vergo spat at him. Kid was fucking proud as punch to see some blood come out of that too, glad to have gotten a few good moves on him. “I don’t care if you say you’ve left that beast’s gang, as far as I’m concerned you’re still in enemy territory. If I catch you sniffing around in places you don’t belong, then rest assured I’ll be coming back with some buddies to beat you to death.”

“I’m seriously not trying to step on any fucking toes here. I just want to live an easy life after getting out of a fucking hard one; just don’t think for a second I won’t fight back if you give me any more trouble.” Kid countered, meaning every word.

“I’d like to see you try. Five against one tends not to bring about a good outcome. Consider this a warning, Eustass Kid.” Vergo said curtly.

“Yeah message received loud and fuckin’ clear.”

The man adjusted his sunglasses and spat out one more time to the side before turning his back. God, what Kid would do for a weapon right now. It was rule 1-oh-1; don’t expose your back to the fucking enemy, cause it’ll be your own damn fault if you find a knife lodged in it. Clearly this Vergo guy didn’t think Kid posed a fucking threat, and that pissed Kid off even more than he already was. Kid leaned back against the wall, watching as Vergo shoved his hands into the pockets of his trench coat as he left. Kid watch his back disappear out of the alleyway, Vergo taking one final look backward before walking off and leaving the red-headed man alone.

Kid sighed with frustration and ran a hand down his face, grimacing as he felt blood from a cut on his forehead. Fuck. It hadn’t even been two months of settling into the Grand Line City and he was already being sucked back up into a bullshit life he wanted no part of anymore.

The truth of the matter was that Kid – up until a couple months ago – had been part of a prominent gang in his home back in the South Line.

It had been such a stupid thing to do, get involved in that kind of lifestyle. Being in a gang was dangerous, violence festering at every turn, filled with illegal activities that would get you arrested if it didn’t get you killed first. Upon reflection – for which he had done so many a time since quitting – Kid knew that it had been a large mistake, allowing himself to get sucked into crime. If he could go back in time and change it all, he most definitely would – but his younger self was a completely different person to who he was now. As an impressionable delinquent teenager, being involved in a gang was better than anything he could have imagined; it gave him an excuse to fuck people up, and it gave him things he had desired for so long, yet hadn’t had in his miserable life up until that point.

Power.

Control.

Family.

Sure, by definition, Kid _had_ family. He had a mother who had given birth to him, a father when he was growing up. Was sure he had some cousins or relatives scattered around the world or something, but he couldn’t give a shit about finding out if they existed or where they might be. He didn’t consider anybody blood-related his family at all. Kid’s father had a temper for as long as he could remember, often taking it out on Kid’s mother whenever he reached boiling point. When his mother packed her bags and left to get away from that monster of a man, she had left a seven-year-old Kid behind and he became the new target for his father’s physical abuse. Kid never could forgive his mother for leaving him, didn’t know why she hadn’t taken him with her, and of course, he would never, ever forgive his father for anything in his life. His father was a piece of shit, beat him within in an inch of his life far too many times for Kid to count, and put him in the hospital so frequently he had become a regular visitor of the emergency admission. As Kid got older, he became both stronger – fighting back against his father – and even more fucking bitter about the world.

Ironically enough despite the shitty hand life had dealt him, from that experience came one positive outcome – Killer. The two had attended the same school, frequently saw each other in detention since that’s where they were sent to almost every fucking day, and became friends when they decided to ditch it altogether to just hang out around town. Eventually, they bonded over their dreadful luck – Killer too, wasn’t living in the best circumstances either. His father and mother had split when he was a kid, and while his father was happily remarried with a new family somewhere in the West Line, his mother didn’t fare too well. Her depression over their divorce fuelled her indulgent habits, and she found herself constantly reaching for remedy in the form of pills and drink to numb her feelings. Killer’s mother ended up being an alcoholic, who would often throw her son out of the house for days at a time without a care in the world about where he’d go or what would happen to him. Kid and Killer came to the realisation then that they could chose each other to be family, and took out their anger at the world in the best way teenage boys knew how – causing as much fucking chaos as possible. They acted out at school, got into fights with other neighbourhood kids, shoplifted and pickpocketed and stuck their middle fingers up towards any sort of authority figure that tried to tell them otherwise.

They hadn’t sought out a gang. That had come to them completely by utter chance. They two had been hanging out in an abandoned scrapyard, letting off steam by whacking write-off cars with baseball bats when a classmate of theirs approached them. The kid – Brownie was his name – was seeking revenge over Kid for beating him in a fight at school the week prior, and brought some of his brothers and sisters for backup. They all got into a brawl, and even though they had been outnumbered, Kid and Killer had held their own and stood as the victors. Both parties were covered in dirt and mud and blood, and the altercation ended when some of Brownie’s older brothers found them, driving into the junkyard in a sleek black convertible.

A woman had been with them. Kid remembered the way she looked at he and Killer with calculating eyes, and a wide toothy smile on her face. While Brownie’s older brother broke up their post-fight stand-off, the heavy-set woman in a polka-dot dress exited the car, slowly making her way to the beat-up and bloodied bodies of Killer and Kid. It was there that the two met Brownie’s mother. She had been sweet to them, Kid recalled. Offered them lollies from her purse, apologised for her children’s behaviour, asking if they wanted her to contact their families and explain the fault wasn’t theirs…

_“Fuck off, lady. We don’t need your pity.” The teenage Kid had said to her, his grip on his wooden baseball bat tightening._

_“I wouldn’t dream of pitying such strong fighters.” Was the woman’s response, glancing between the two. Eventually, she cast her eyes on Killer, and her smile widened. “And so handsome too. Tell me dearies, where are your parents?”_

_“None of your fucking business.” Killer sharply countered, positioning himself in front of Kid and the woman. While Killer was often neglected by his mother, he had learned to take care of himself and adapt to his shitty situation, even set himself up a pad in a part of the neighbourhood that was often abandoned. Kid however, couldn’t get away from his father so easily, and suffered by his hands on a daily basis. Killer – as the slightly older one who had his shit mostly sorted – took it upon himself to be as protective as he could over the younger boy who had become his only ever friend._

_“No family?” The woman didn’t hide the glee in her voice as she asked that. It pissed Kid off, since he felt she was mocking him for it, until she said something completely unexpected. “Well why don’t you join mine?”_

_Brownie and some of the younger children had protested loudly until a glare by their mother shut them right the fuck up._

_“I’m always looking for strong young boys like you.” She said with a sinister smile on her face. “I only want strong people in my family, ha ha ha ha! Ma ma ma ma ma!”_

_“What’s in it for us anyway?” Killer asked with a scoff._

_“Yeah, you can’t help us.” Kid supplied with a sneer._

_“Oh dearies,” Her grin widened. “You have no idea how much help I can be.”_

That’s when the woman introduced herself. Big Mam – mob boss of the fucking city. One of the most powerful women in the South, known simultaneously for her sweet tooth and violent mood-swings. She had a large following of people who she called her ‘children’ – some biological, others simply part of her gang – all willing to fight die for her at a moment’s notice. Her swords and fucking shields.

And here she was, offering Killer and Kid – two down-on-their-luck teens with no family ties – a home, a warm meal, something sweet to eat, and place in her gang.

A place in her _family._

It didn’t take long for Kid and Killer come to agreement after discovering who they were dealing with, without even considering the implications for what they were signing up for. They fell victim to sugar-coated promises and honey-sweet words as many others had in the past, later realising that this was the way Big Mam usually brought in her new children. Draw them in gently under the guise of a protective mother, their fucking saviour, rescuing them from a life of destitution and poverty. Tempting them with the notion of having a wonderful loving family until they were practically begging her to stay. Slowly putting ideas in their heads about how beautiful it was to love someone so very much you’d be willing to die for them.

Right before sending them off on suicidal missions, where they really _did_ die for her causes.

Fucking manipulating bitch. As an adult, Kid saw it for what it was. He only wished he had had that foresight as a teenager, rather than signing away his life to that horrible woman. He and Kil had been part of Big Mam’s crew for eight long years, and by the time they had realised their mistake, they were already way too deep to ever live a normal life in the South Line. The worst thing of all for the two of them was that they couldn’t get out of that world no matter how badly they wanted to. Big Mam’s authority ensured that anyone wishing to leave her nest did so in a body-bag. She’d happily do the deed of killing them herself, if anyone dared have the audacity to go against her whims. She was able to get away with murder, and that didn’t just include rival gang members – it meant the innocent too, those not involved with anything in their dark world. Did the baker sell her a cake that wasn’t fresh out of the oven? Bullet through his skull. That woman over there refused her entry to her café? Stab her in the fucking heart and tear the place apart. Whatever Big Mam wanted, she fucking got. And the older Killer and Kid became, the less they wanted to be implicated in her schemes.

It wasn’t until a man named Kaido was brought into the picture were Killer and Kid able to find a way to escape. The man was well-known in the gang world, nicknamed the ‘King of Beasts’ in the underbelly, and much like Big Mam he too held an abundance of power and influence. He and Big Mam were in talks about merging their gangs together – kind of like a political marriage of sorts – and expand their combined empires to fully take over the South Line. To Kaido this would be two-fold victory, since the woman held onto a piece of territory he had been wanting for years; the political epicentre of the South Line called Wano. Whoever controlled Wano, controlled the fucking government, and Big Mam’s grubby fingers had been holding onto it for decades.

Kid had stumbled upon his ticket out when he overhead a conversation between Big Mam and her oldest son Perspero. Turns out, she had intentions to stab Kaido in the back after she had taken his territory, and either kill all of his followers or force them to join her gang. Go figure. Fucking mob boss politics. Kid knew immediately what he had to do to ensure his freedom, and he dragged an apprehensive Killer with him to Kaido to bring him the information. Kid convinced the man that he and Killer could help Kaido get his revenge on the condition that he agreed to striking a deal with them; grant them freedom without repercussion from the gang life after Big Mam was dead and her territory was in his hands. Kaido agreed, and Kid and Killer pledged their loyalty to the man, starting to work undercover to successfully get their new boss what he wanted. When it was done, when Big Mam lay dead at their feet, Kaido made true on his promise to free them, and Kid and Killer up and left the South Line without the intention of ever fucking returning.

“Fuck me.” Kid cursed in anger, punching the wall of the building he had been leaning on and instantly regretting it from the pain that shot through his arm. Damn it all the fucking hell. Kid had been absolutely certain that nothing was going to come back and bite in him the ass like this, Kaido had told him he would take care of the aftermath, but that wasn’t appearing to be the case. He was in the Grand fucking Line City, the word should have least spread to here of his retirement considering how big his name was. Kid wished that his normal life would have lasted longer than just two measly months. He and Killer and worked so hard to get to this stage, and he couldn’t stand the idea that all of that literal blood and sweat and tears was already coming to an end.

On that note, Kid would have to tell Killer about the attack too, so the other would be prepared in case he too got a visit by a random stranger following him home. Damn, and Kil had just lowered some of his walls too. He was actually putting his paranoia aside and making an effort to go out with Kid and meet new people, was getting to know someone on a more romantic level even. Kid too, with Law.

 _Ain’t no rest for the wicked, that’s for damned sure._ Kid thought to himself bitterly, continuing to punch the wall with his good arm, his dislocated one hanging limply by his side. It hurt, goddamn, but he didn’t fucking care right now, virtually seeing red at the shitty luck that seemed to follow him wherever he fucking went. All his prior notions about fate finally being kind to him were thrown out the damned window, and he continued to curse whatever higher powers existed up on Mariejois for setting him up for failure all over again.

When he eventually stopped taking his anger out on the building, the skin on Kid’s knuckles were broken and bloody and stinging like a bitch. He took a trembling breath, letting it out in a huff before repeating, going through some exercises that Killer had gotten him in the habit of doing when they had been teens. After he had calmed down enough and his mind was clear, Kid leaned back against the wall and braced himself to set his shoulder. He reached up with his good hand, positioned his body forward, and then slammed back into the wall. A shout escape from his lips but lo and behold it had worked – he could move his arm now, albeit painfully. A sling would be better but fuck him he didn’t have anything of the like around him to use as one.

Making his way out of the alley, Kid checked his phone quickly for the time and swore – if he didn’t leave now he’d be getting to work late, and he didn’t have enough time to rush home and get cleaned up and grab his uniform. Kid rushed down the street, trying to call Killer and warn him to be careful just in case he too was targeted by the Donquixote fucker. When the man didn’t pick up Kid texted instead, wincing a little from the wounds on his knuckles and the strain from his shoulder with every movement he made.

_**Kid:** Killer be fucking careful going home 2nite. was jumped just now, will talk more to you when i get off work. txt me pls so i know u got home okay._

Deciding to call a car– for safety and speed – Kid waited in a public space, ignoring the strange looks being thrown his way from passers-by at his dishevelled state. He realised that he was probably looking beat the fuck up, but he honestly didn’t have the time to care considering he had more important shit to deal with. When he got into the car and told the man the shop’s address, he made another call to a person who would hopefully have some answers for him. The man – Basil Hawkins, one of Kid’s associates in Kaido’s gang – answered before the first ring was even complete.

_“I had a feeling you’d be calling me. The cards told me there was a 98 per cent chance of that happening today. How are you, Kid? It’s been a while. Is the city everything you expected and more?”_

Kid grimaced. He almost forgot how dead-pan Hawkins could be, and could visually imagine the man’s stony face as he said those words. The blonde-haired man had worked closely with Kid and Killer during their coup of the Big Mam gang, and while he was a good partner-in-crime, that’s all they ever were. Kid wasn’t seeking friendship, and Hawkins was just so serious all the damned time it was hard for anyone to even get to know him properly, Kid included. Nevertheless, they had somewhat bonded, so Kid could trust him for the time being. 

“It was fine until today and I’m hoping you have some answers. I was jumped by someone who still thinks I’m part of K’s crew. Got any idea as to why that could be?” He asked, omitting Kaido’s real name. Now that there was a large possibility that the Donquixote gang was hanging around, he couldn’t risk anyone thinking he was still in contact with his old boss, even if it was a fucking driver.

Hawkins paused over the phone, the silence making Kid even more jittery and pissed off than he already was. God he was so angry he felt like he was going to fucking combust.

 _“I honestly have no clue, Kid. You made it abundantly clear you were out when you disappeared the day after you killed Big Mam.”_ Hawkins said slowly, a hint of surprise in his tone of voice.

“I was under the assumption that everybody else in other… _offices,_ were aware that I was quitting.” Kid stopped himself from saying ‘gangs’, glancing at the car driver and thinking he’d probably call the cops if anything like that was mentioned. Or at the very least kick him out of the vehicle. “Did nobody spread the word?”

_“The word was definitely put out there Kid. It reached all the way to North, where the Blackbeard gang is, so it should have been passed around in the Grand Line City.”_

“So then why is that feather coat wearing fucker setting goons after me to ‘send me a message’ about territorial contracts I haven’t been part of for months now? Hang on.” The driver glanced at him in the rear-view mirror, an eyebrow quirked up in concern. Kid set the phone on his chest and sighed. “Fucking CEO’s and their bullshit building contracts, man. Think they own the world, but they can’t touch ya unless they want a lawsuit am I right?”

The driver relaxed incredibly, eyes flicking back to the road. “I hear you. White collar bastards.” Was all he said, allowing Kid to have his privacy now. When he put the phone to his ear, Hawkins was still quiet until Kid told him to continue.

 _“As in Donquixote Doflamingo?”_ Hawkins asked quietly. _“The guy that killed his own father and brother?”_

“Yes. He sent someone to threaten me, called me K’s fucking bitch.” Kid growled into the phone.

_“Please Kid. Don’t flatter yourself. Kaido wouldn’t be interested in you like that anyway.”_

Goddamn fucking shit Kid was going to fucking _murder-_

“Not like that! Could you just-!” _Deep breaths Kid._ “I just… I need to know if K’s been keeping mine and Kil’s names out of his mouth since we’ve quit. That’s all.”

_“To the best of my knowledge, no-one’s been talking about the two of you. I can get Kaido to call you if you want me to, or just consult my cards. They often provide me with enlightenment I can’t get from others.”_

“Do whatever the hell it is you need to do. I gotta know. If he wants to call me-”

 _“It’ll be anonymously through a payphone. I will text you where and when.”_ Hawkins interrupted him. Kid forgot how fucking freaky Hawkins could be sometimes, almost knowing everything another person was going to say before they did so.

“Okay. Yeah. Thanks.”

_Alright. I’ll call you if I find anything.”_

“See ya.”

Kid didn’t wait for a response before hanging up the phone and immediately began texting two other people he had been close to in his gang life. Wire and Heat, two men that Kid considered as close as brothers next to Killer, weren’t actively involved in the illegal activities that he had been in. They were neutrals, owned some places where Kaido’s gang members frequented, but didn’t actually have anything to do with his dealings. They too were thinking of moving out into the big city, were waiting on tying a few loose ends before doing so. Kid texted the both of them the same thing, asking if they knew if anyone had been running their mouths about he and Kil recently. Wire replied almost instantly, saying he was currently with Heat and that neither of them hadn’t heard anything, but would keep an ear out just in case.

“We’re here.” The driver told him, pulling up to a stop next to Franky’s Auto shop. “Your ex-boss sounds like a dick by the way. Best of luck with your new job.”

“Yeah yeah thanks.” Kid mumbled, undoing his seat belt, opening the door and getting out. He had paid through the app – fucking technology was his saving grace since he had no wheels of his own – and tapped the door of the car before walking into the shop, still lost in his thoughts about the day’s unexpected turn of events.

He opened the door and stormed in, his face still set in a grimace and blood staining his knuckles and shirt.

“Welcome to Franky’s Auto Service, how can I help- o-oh! Kid!” Ussop had been at the front desk. The curly haired man immediately came around the desk to the red-head after seeing the state he was in. Clutching his arm, bleeding from a cut on the top of his head and a small bruise forming on his chin, Kid looked the furthest thing from presentable right now. Didn’t even bring his goddamn uniform, so he had to hope there was a spare in the back that he could borrow. The long-nosed man stopped Kid in his tracks, and oddly enough did not cower at the menacing glare Kid threw at him for getting in his way.

“What the hell happened?” Ussop asked in surprise.

“Nothing. Dude, _nothing._ ” Kid repeated, seeing how the other was about to open his mouth and protest that no, something had _very clearly_ happened considering how beat the fuck up he looked. He groaned, shrugging his shoulders and side-stepping Ussop to get into the back so he could look for a uniform. Ussop followed him, sparing a final glance to the front desk before deciding he could leave it be for a few minutes since there weren’t any customers in the shop.

Needing to shake him off, Kid sighed angrily, quickly coming up with an excuse. “It was just a mugging okay? Fucker tried to take my wallet, I punched him, he punched me. I forget that in the city that shit is common, never had to worry about things like that back home.” He told the other, opening up the spare locker in the back and finding that yes thank _fuck_ there was an extra uniform and he had just enough time to get it on before starting his shift.

“Y-you got that beat up from a mugging? O-oh god! What’s going on with this city!?” Ussop said, face paling. Kid’s lie was barely passable, but thank fuck Ussop seemed to be naïve enough to believe it.

“Beats me dude. Look I’m fine, so just leave me the fuck alone.” Kid told him, not caring that he had Ussop as an audience as he shucked his clothes off, wincing again at the pain in his arm. He shoved his tank top and jeans into the locker and slammed it shut with a bit too much force, the sound loudly echoing in the room. He slipped into the damp smelling spares that were a size too small for him, the buttons of the shirt strained across his chest and revealing pale patches. Great. Guess he’d have to sacrifice all forms of comfort today.

Ussop had been quiet, and when Kid turned to him he saw the other’s face had an expression of shock. “What the fuck do you want from me man?” Kid snapped irritably, knowing he was being a dick. Ussop had just come back with him to see if he was okay, yet here Kid was ready to fucking throw hands all over again in rage.

“N-nothing. U-uh there should be a first aid kit in that cabinet over there. M-Maybe you should wash your face too there’s some b-blood.” Ussop stammered, face red as he felt back for the door. “Call me if you need some help I guess…” With that he was gone, leaving Kid alone to sigh and run his hands through messy hair. Aw shit, he was going to have to apologise wasn’t he? Being so rude to someone trying to help him was definitely not a good look on him. Wasn’t he supposed to be a reform-gang member or something?

 _Allegedly,._ Kid thought with another sigh. Damn, Kid had been in such a fantastic mood earlier today when he had been with Law. He couldn’t believe how quickly things had changed in the span of a few minutes.

Taking Ussop’s advice, Kid quickly made work of his bloody face as best he could, washing the cut and slapping Band-Aid from the kit on it before wrapping his hand in a bandage and heading out into the shop. Noon just hit, and it was time for his shift to start. He silently grabbed one of the clipboards set at the front desk with his name on it, mumbling a short ‘sorry’ to Ussop. The other didn’t look at him but nodded to show he had gotten the message, flicking through some of the documents on the front desk. Kid wasn’t really sure everything was okay there, but he’d deal with it later. For now, he had to get to work.

Kid walked over to the parked car that he had been assigned to work on, tool box already next to the vehicle. The radio was there too, and since nobody else was playing anything, he pretty much called dibs on setting the music for today. He instantly connected his phone to it via Bluetooth and pulled up his music app, settling on a heavy metal playlist that would usually help take his mind off of the edge.

It worked too. The sound of shredding guitars, fast-paced beats, and emotionally charged lyrics that reflected his inner turmoil did wonders to his mood, and helped Kid slip into mindless, brain-numbing work for the rest of his shift. Still, there was that occasionally nagging thought that appeared every once in a while that had Kid thinking…

What the fuck was he going to do now?

\----------

When his shift was over, Kid was thinking a lot more clearly than earlier. The music and mindless work had definitely helped him relax, as did the text during the middle of work from Killer saying he was home safely. That settled Kid more than anything, knowing that his friend was safe and hadn’t suffered the same situation as he did from earlier was a huge weight lifted off of his shoulders. _Thank fucking god._ He was eager to get home and talk things out with Kil, as well as come up with a game plan from how they were going to tackle this new problem. He just hoped that he too would make it there without someone threatening to beat him up again.

“Hey Kid?”

Ussop’s meek voice called from the door of the backroom, where Kid had washed the grease off of his hands and gotten changed into his casual attire. He had the spare uniform in a plastic bag, thinking since it was laundry night anyway he’d get them washed and brought back clean tomorrow. Kid turned to Ussop, just about ready to leave. “Yeah?” Kid responded, much more gently now than he had earlier in the day when he had snapped at the other worker.

“Since it’s pretty late, do you want me to give you a ride home?” Ussop asked, uncertainly, as though he was waiting for Kid to bite his head off at the suggestion.

Kid couldn’t blame him for feeling put off by him. He hadn’t been the nicest guy to Ussop, especially today when all he had done to him was try to help. There was some hesitation on Kid’s part – he hadn’t known Ussop for very long, and he was in a currently high-state of paranoia over meeting a member of the Donquixote family, a gang that was ruthless in their pursuit of power and control. Could he be a member…? Kid decided that no, it didn’t seem likely that the mechanic could be part of such a horrible family. Ussop scared easy, and his emotions were very rarely hidden; he didn’t think someone like that could conceal such a huge secret.

“That’d be nice man, yeah, thanks.” Kid replied, slowly. “I’m ready to leave whenever.”

Kid’s reaction seemed to settle the dark-haired man, who let out a small smile before grabbing his keys and leading the way out to his white ute. Kid hopped in, dumping his bag at his feet and punching in his address into Ussop’s car navigator before settling in for the ride. The silence in the car was awkward, and – in Kid’s opinion – highly unusual considering Ussop was there. Kid had noticed that Ussop was the type of person who spoke to fill in the quiet. He always had a story about unbelievable situations that happened to him or his friends. Kid supposed it was his fault the other seemed to be reluctant to talk to him, considering he had gone off at him at the shop.

“Dude I’m sorry for shouting at you like that.” Kid said, seeing Ussop glance his way before training his eyes back onto the road. “I was pissed off, but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

“It’s okay.” Ussop told him. “I was really worried, but I’m not the best at being calm in stressful situations. All my yelling probably didn’t help-”

“You didn’t anything wrong.” Kid said slowly. He had worked on self-improvement for so long that falling back into bad habits was like a punch in his gut. He felt very much like he had taken a few steps backward, and it made his stomach churn with disgust. “Really, the fault’s on me. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. Trust me, I’m not upset or angry at you at all.”

“Can I ask…” Ussop started. “It wasn’t… really a mugging, was it?”

Kid sighed, scratching the back of his head. “No. It was a fight”

“I thought as much.” Ussop glanced at him. “It’s been… well, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone come in bloody like that, I was pretty shocked. Luffy and some of the others used to get in big fights all the time when we were younger, and I was usually there to help clean them up when they were done. Now they don’t get into too much trouble. Well, that’s a bit of a stretch. But it’s not as bad as when we were younger, that’s for sure.”

“For the best. It’s easy to get into trouble, hard to get out of it.” Kid commented, thinking there were no better words to describe what he was going through.

Ussop nodded. “Yeah. Very true. A-anyway. You’re part of our group now. Franky trusts you, and so does Luffy. I’m willing to do that too. If you need a friend to talk to, then you can come to me.” Ussop paled a little, stammering over his next words. “W-within reason! I don’t exactly beat up people! W-well, not anymore! You know one time I fought off thirty people singlehandedly? It was my last great hurrah!”

Ah. This was more like what Kid was used to hearing from Ussop; a wild, unbelievable story. Who knows man, maybe it was really true and Ussop was actually some fighting god in the guise of a frail human. Kid was willing to indulge in the long-nosed man’s tales. It was the least he could do after being so shitty to him today. He cracked a small smile as the man pulled up in the street of his apartment, grabbing his stuff and opening the door when the vehicle was stopped. “Sounds like a party. You should tell me more about how you did it next time.”

That seemed to cheer the dark-haired man up. Kid left the car, waving at Ussop before walking up to his apartment quickly, glad to finally be home after such a busy day. He opened the door, and Killer was waiting for him on their couch in the living room. When Killer saw him, he immediately stood from his spot.

“What happened?” He asked softly, walking up to Kid. He cursed under his breath, reaching up to grab Kid’s chin and turn his head to the side. It was faint, but he already had a bruise forming on the side of his head from when he hit into the dumpster, the colour showing clearly on his pale skin. “Are you okay?”

“Someone was following me” Kid explained, dumping his stuff onto the floor and rubbing his chin. “You know the Donquixote family? The one where the head offed his own dad when he was like thirteen? Yeah. A guy from that group approached me, and thought I was still part of Kaido’s gang.”

“Goddamn it,” Killer whispered, shaking his head. “I thought we were clear.”

“So did I. I have no idea if anyone’s squealed on us moving out to the city, but Wire and Heat keeping an ear out and Hawkins is going to investigate for me. On the plus side though, I don’t know if they knew anything about you,” Kid said with a frown. “When that Vergo guy said he would get people to beat me up, he said five on one. I hope that means you’re safe, but keep your wits about you yeah?”

Killer sighed angry, running a hand down his hair. “Damn.”

“I know.”

They were quiet for a moment, each in deep concentration about where to go from here.

“I think we’ll be okay.” Kid said. “It seems like their main concern is territory. As long as we stay out of it, then I don’t think they’ll attack us.”

“This is bullshit Kid.” Killer threw his arms up in frustration.

“At this stage, there’s nothing much else we can do. I’m waiting for Hawkins to get back to me, and once I get a hold on Kaido we’ll get to the bottom of this.” Kid grimaced. “Guess we’re going to have to get packing.”

Killer sighed again, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah… I’ll grab the guns from the storage locker tomorrow, find a place to hide them in the apartment in case we get broken in.”

“And I’ll ask about our cash, too, and look for some apartments closer to the city. Would help if we had a car, or were in a better neighbourhood with some kind of security.”

“I’ll go with you when I get off of work tomorrow. What was the guy’s name who jumped you?”

“Vergo.”

“Alright. I’ll look him up and see what I can find.”

The two nodded at each other, plans already unfolding in their minds about how to deal with this new development in their lives. To Kid, for the first time in his life, he was going to do his best to stay out of trouble. He wouldn’t so much as litter on the goddamn street. If that gang member thought he could intimidate Kid, make him cower like a dog with his tail in between his legs, he was damned wrong. He was going to fucking _live_ that regular life he had been craving forever. He was going to work a job he liked, get to know good honest people he could call friends, explore his budding relationship with Law, and fucking enjoy every single moment of it.

Kid had done far too much to get to this point. He wasn’t going to give up now.


	10. Galaxies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> he red-head wrapped his arm around the other’s shoulders, resting his chin on the top of Law’s head. “So. How’d I do for a first date?”
> 
> Law smiled, removing himself from where he was buried into the man’s neck so that they were face to face. “Best date I’ve ever been on.”
> 
> “Would you go out with me again after tonight?” Kid mumbled, inching forward, the tips of their noses brushing against each other lightly.
> 
> “Most definitely.” Law whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's funny how the sound of rain and thunder instantly makes me inspired. I was about to turn in for the night but pushed myself to finish this chapter with the help of nature's music~ Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. It's 4am right now, and I'm bound to have missed a few things uwu
> 
> A huge huge HUGE thank you for all the kind comments, questions, critiques, and kudos. I say it a lot but I'm going to say it again and again - it's all very much appreciated. I was so worried about posting a long fanfic - it's been _years_ since I've done this - and I'm so happy that it's going smoothly. Writing is such a pleasure for me, and I'm glad it's bringing happiness to others as well as myself. Thank you all so much 🖤🥰
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 10: Passing references of violence/abuse (nothing too detailed that hasn't already been addressed before), malexmale sex, oral sex, anal sex, making-out, heavy swearing.

** Nine months remaining. **

Kid ended up messaging Law a few days later than he had planned to about meeting up for their date. They had spoken about other things in the meantime via text message, mainly about how their jobs were going, but not the lingering promise of that sweet second meeting the both of them were eagerly looking forward to. By no means was this a choice; Kid just couldn’t bring himself to make contact with the Law until he got his shit sorted. He _loathed_ having to wait, wanting nothing more than to spend some time with the man who had been on his mind since he had first laid eyes on him, but he considered it essential if he wanted to assure both of their safeties. Until Kid was absolutely certain he wasn’t being followed by any more menacing gang members, he was virtually stuck in place, and he couldn’t get that guarantee until he had spoken to his ex-boss. Kid was a lot of things – had _been_ a lot of things in the past – but he’d be damned if he was going to drag innocent people into what could be the beginnings of a budding gang affair. That’s part of the reason why he had wanted an out in the first place, damnit.

On the plus side, Kid’s conversation with his old boss Kaido had gone well. Kid hadn’t expected the mob leader to call him at all, but Hawkins – Kid didn’t know how the bloody bastard managed it – had been true to his word and had been able to set it up. After receiving a text in typical cryptic-Hawkins fashion, Kid found himself wandering to a payphone a few blocks away from his apartment in the middle of the newly autumnal night, and received a call from the most intimating man he had ever had the displeasure of meeting. In the underground world his official epithet was Leader of the Beasts, and his gang was full of rough, rowdy, bloodthirsty people whose loyalty to their leader knew no bounds. Even though the phone, Kid could feel the power seeping through Kaido’s voice; low and booming, commanding without even meaning to. It could freeze a person in their spot. Kid had seen it happen before; unfortunate souls who had gotten on the wrong side of the Beast, being filled with chilling fear, unable to even turn their heads to face the unbelievable violent rage they were the eventual victims of. Kid had seen shit like that happen with his own two eyes, watched as men and women alike were cut down simply by being in the presence of such awesome power.

 _“I wasn’t expecting you to ever contact me again. This better be worth my time.”_ Kaido had told him gruffly over the phone when he answered.

“I wasn’t planning to, but I ran into a problem that might have involved you or one of your men going back on your word.” Kid replied. “And if that were to happen, then I might have to just do something about it that none of us are going to like.”

A harsh breath over the phone. _“Tell me what happened.”_

And so Kid had explained the situation. Mentioned how he was jumped by a member of the Donquixote family who told him he was still very much a big name associated with Kaido, despite his retirement. Asked Kaido if this was his doing. What he got in response was a curt laugh, the lack of emotion sending a shiver running up Kid’s spine, making him feel uneasy.

 _“That Doflamingo. He’s doing well then. I wasn’t really expecting that, but it’s good to hear he was able to stand on his own two feet after all.”_ He said in amusement. Kid was silent, having had no idea that Kaido seemed to know the Donquixote head on what sounded like a more personal level. Sure, it was common for mob bosses to know others – especially if they did harbour a name that matched their renown – but Kaido sounded as if he and Doflamingo knew each other on a deeper level. _“That shit-stain is harmless. He’s less interested in territory then you’d think, his activities mostly include the drug trade. That's how I knew him - he was a very good supplier, until I was able to get my own shit going. Whatever he’s said to you is just an empty threat. He most definitely got the memorandum about us having cut ties, but he hasn’t changed a bit from when he was starting out; any excuse to flaunt his power, he’ll take it. You just happened to be there. I wouldn’t worry about it.”_

“That fucker.” Kid growled, and Kaido grunted in agreement. Okay. That was a relief, then. Kid could handle threats, and now that he knew it wasn’t anything more than a show of power that he couldn’t give a fuck about, he was settled immensely about the entire ordeal. He heard clinking and rustling noises over the phone, and the sloshing about of liquid following afterward, indicating that Kaido was partaking in his favourite activity of drinking to ex-fucking-cess.

 _“You know Kid,”_ Kaido started up again. _“I don’t know how they knew you were in the Grand Line City, and I don’t think it was any of my boys. But, I do know that Doflamingo has eyes everywhere. He might not be scoping you out to attack you; but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were checking up on you for recruitment.”_ Kaido’s paused for a moment before speaking once more, his voice dropping an octave, and sounding even more menacing that it had earlier. _“And if they do recruit you, that’ll make a mockery of the fucking kindness I showed you. It’ll be downright betrayal, and you know what I do to traitors, Kid.”_

Aw crap.

“Trust me, Kaido.” Kid said slowly. “I want no part in any of that shit. I’m not joining any gang.”

Kaido was silent for a moment, contemplating the words. More shuffling about on the line was heard, and the sound of what Kid assumed was another bottle being opened echoed in the silence. Kaido sounded like he was drinking again, and Kid waited with baited breath for his response.

_“I better not get wind of you back in the scene.”_

“You won’t.” Kid assured him as desperately as he could, trying not to sound as fearful as he fucking felt on the inside.

It took a few more moments of back and forth of the same nature before they were able to settle the matter and converse regularly again. It didn’t go on for long, which Kid thought was for the best; Kaido had shit to do, and Kid just wanted the call to end so that he could get on with his fucking life.

There was an additional positive outcome to their talk. Kid and Killer had some money they had obtained from their illegal gang lives that they were currently getting cleaned so it wouldn’t be traced back to them. Kaido told him the cash was finally going to be wired into their shared bank account this week, which was a fucking godsend. Kid already had the perfect vehicle in mind to purchase, and his apartment hunting with Killer would be a lot easier now that they had actual numbers to work with.

Kid had thought about what Kaido had told him over the phone for a long time after they had finished their call. Specifically, Kid was focussing on the underlying threat in his old boss’ voice at the notion of Kid having left his crew to join a new gang. There’s no way in _hell_ Kid would do such a thing, but he supposed it could be likely for another head to try and recruit him; his reputation did proceed him. Kid had pretty much done the impossible when his plan to take down a powerful gang leader was successful. Big Mam had been executed by his own gun, and her family had either fled the country out of fear of meeting the same fate, or had been locked up in gaol where they’d never see the light of a day as a free person again.

Oftentimes Kid wondered if that had been the right thing to do, taking down that old hag. Kaido replaced Big Mam now, and he could be just as sinister, nasty, and deadly as that dreadful woman had been.

 _Nevermind._ Kid thought to himself, not wishing to dwell as he ran his fingers through unruly hair. He didn’t have time to think about shit like that now. There were more important matters he had to deal with. He could finally message Law about their date, and he had the perfect idea of what to do for it…

**6th of October, 2019**

**Outside Law’s Apartment, Grand Line City**

**4:45pm**

Kid couldn’t fucking wait to see Law again. He was almost giddy with excitement, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel of his new Audi RSX and humming along with the songs from his phone connected via Bluetooth as he pulled up in front of the doctor’s apartment. Parking the car on the side, Kid got out of the vehicle and sent Law a quick text to let him know he was outside. Law responded that he’d be down soon, so Kid leaned against the door and deftly lit up a cigarette while he waited for the other to come down. Kid was dressed casually, because his date idea required more comfortable clothing, and so he was sporting knee length cargo shorts, lace up boots, and a simple band tee. He had told Law the day before via text to wear something similar, but didn’t reveal anything about the activity he had planned. Plus, after Kid had discovered – accidentally, via a message by his new self-dubbed ‘texting buddy’ Luffy – that today was Law’s birthday, he really wanted to keep as much of it a surprise as possible since he hadn’t had time to get him a proper present.

Law exited his apartment just as Kid had finished his cigarette, greeting him with that drop-dead gorgeous smile that Kid had been dreaming every damned night. He couldn’t help it when his heart once again skipped a beat at the vision before him, every bit as attractive and alluring as Kid remembered him to be.

“Hi, Eustass-ya,” Law said, closing the apartment block’s door behind him and approaching the red-head.

“Hi yourself. You look nice.” Kid observed, smiling down at the other. Even in more informal, loose-fitting clothing, Kid was still blown away by how good Law looked, even if the other was glancing down at his garb like it wasn’t really that big of a deal. He too was dressed casually; three-quarter length baggy harem pants, sneakers, and a t-shirt that exposed the twisted ink that decorated both of his tanned arms. He had a stainless steel thermos in each hand, and a grey knapsack strung over one shoulder, and when he was close enough to Kid he stuck out one of the flasks to him. Kid was immediately greeted with the scent of coffee. 

“Thank you. I made us some coffee, since you said we’d be driving for a while. Congratulations on your car, by the way.” Law told him.

“Yeah, she’s a real beauty isn’t she?” Kid purred, tapping the roof of the vehicle with his fingers before taking the offered thermos. “And thanks for this. You got any idea as to where we’re headed?”

Law shook his head slightly, his eyes glinting in excitement. “Other than perhaps spending some time outdoors, I haven’t a clue. I was honestly expecting you to just take me out for dinner, rather than plan something elaborate.” He said, shrugging his shoulder with the knapsack hanging on it. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” Kid said with a cheeky smile, opening up the passenger side door for Law to get in. The raven-haired man slipped into the car and did up his seatbelt, settling in for the ride and sipping his coffee while Kid took his bag and placed it in the boot before getting into the driver’s seat. He started up the car, checking his phone one last time for the route – he didn’t want to risk having it up on the navigator and spoil it all for Law now – and began to drive. “How was work?”

Law sighed, glancing out of the window and thinking about his busy day. There were some doctors absent today, so he had to take on a few extra patients to check on during his rounds that morning. Before he was able to leave there was an emergency surgery for a patient that suffered a heart attack that he had to take charge of, much to the chagrin of one of the other doctors on call that day. Yes, Doctor Caesar Clown had it in for Law ever since he had started as an intern at the hospital, and the two very rarely saw eye to eye on anything, from the way a patient should be treated to how to what colour the sky was that day. Doctor Clown was all shades of red when Kureha gave over the reins to Law instead of him for the surgery, silently glaring at him all while Law literally held the life of a person’s hands between his nimble fingers. “It was busy.” He told him. “I’m awfully tired and very much glad to be away from the hospital today.”

Kid’s face twitched. That might be a problem, considering what he had in mind involved some physical activity. “Sucks to work so hard on ya birthday too.” He muttered under his breath.

“Oh, that doesn’t bother me. I don’t particularly enjoy celebrating my birthday. The others always want to do something, and I’ll let them if they so wish to – but I won’t ever organise anything for it myself.” Law commented, leaning back against the headrest. “I’d rather not mention it at all, if I could.” He mumbled.

Kid wondered why it was that Law was dismissive about his birthday. Even when they had been texting and Eustass commented that he would try to get him some kind of gift, Law immediately shut it down, saying that there was no need and he’d be fine just spending some time continuing to get to know each other.

“I’m sorry, this date’s probably gonna wear you out some more. Maybe we should do something else and reschedule this for another time-”

“No,” Law said softly, reaching out to touch Kid’s hand on the steering wheel. “You’ve clearly spent a fair bit of thought on tonight, more than I would think was necessary, and I’m very excited for it.” A small blush appeared on Law’s face. “D-don’t you dare laugh, but I’ve been thinking about this all day, actually.”

A swell of pride coursed through Kid’s body at that, and the corners of his lips twitched upward in a smile. Oh man, if only the doctor knew just how much he too had been anticipating today. He’d been so jumpy at work this morning he couldn’t count how many times he had fumbled with a spanner or dropped his clipboard. “Me too.” He responded reaching for Law’s fingers with one of his hands. He twisted them within his own before flipping it and lifting it upward. Keeping his eyes on the road, Kid pressed his painted lips on the back of Law’s hand, kissing it hard enough to leave an imprint of his lipstick on his skin. “I’ve been wanting to see you again for a long time now.”

Law’s face was flushed as he pried his hand gently out of Kid’s hold, cradling it to his closely to his chest. “I have to wonder about that.” He confessed with a raised eyebrow. “You asked a few times if I’d go out with you, and then kept putting it off. Should I be worried about that?” _Were you serious about wanting to get to know me, or were you simply playing with me, Eustass-ya?_ Law’s inner thoughts about everything being some kind of joke with Kid had plagued him whenever he had put off another meeting.

Kid winced. “I’m sorry about that.” He apologised, cursing Doflamingo and Kaido and the whole fucking world in his head for delaying him from seeing Law and making the other second-guess his intentions. “There were some… complications with my old workplace down in the South Line. Now that those loose ends are tied though, I can focus more of my attention you.” Kid glanced to the side at Law. “And let me tell ya, I’ve would’ve rather been doing that from the very beginning instead of dealing with bullshit work stuff. I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind, Law.”

“I-I see.” Law said, his face starting to flush red. He took a sip of his coffee. “And did you have work today too?”

“Yep. Worked a double so that I could have tomorrow free,” Kid told him, his cheeky smile returning onto his face. “That way, I can stay up _all_ night with you.”

Law let out a laugh, feeling a lot of the tension slip away from him at the shift in atmosphere in the car. He had almost forgotten how Kid seemed to be able to flirt so effortlessly from barely any materal, and it both flustered him and excited him simultaneously. God. The audacity of this man to assume that Law was going to invite him over to spend the night, the implication thrown his way without a care in the world…

“Now now Eustass-ya, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.” Law clicked his tongue in a playful manner and shook his head. “I’m yet to be blown away by whatever date you’ve arranged. If there is to be a tonight between us, you better work for it.”

Kid responded with a shrug and a smirk, turning onto the highway and pressing down on the pedal. The car sped up gradually and smoothly as Kid checked behind him and merged into the fast-paced traffic that was leading out of the city. “Good thing I like a challenge.” Kid responded with a smirk.

Law chuckled, glancing out the window at the skyline they were leaving behind. He didn’t typically leave the city, was very comfortable with his life there, so he wasn’t aware of where else there’d be to go. Dressrosa he knew was an hour away, but in the opposite direction of where Kid was driving. Law relaxed back into the plush leather seating, cradling his thermos in his hand and taking solace in the momentary silence. Law wouldn’t admit it aloud, but he was hopeful about his evening with Kid going positively.

“Alright, smooth sailing from here.” Kid said, pressing a button on his steering wheel for cruise control. “So other than work, what else you been up to?”

The rest of the ride was occupied by Law and Kid conversing about their week. Law liked that Kid was easy to talk to; he wasn’t usually the one in conversation to bring up new points, would rather just provide an opinion here or there if it were a matter that interested him, but it felt effortless with Kid and he was completely at ease when talking to him. They spoke about work, shared stories of their friends, debated over television show plots and films they had watched… almost everything, really. Law mentioned that he had binge-watched the television show Kid had recommended, Kid asked about some of the people he had met at Robin’s party, still trying to put names to faces and remember them all. Law laughed at Kid’s annoyance with Luffy, and how he regretted giving the younger man his number because his mobile phone kept blowing up with texts filled with emoji’s that seemed to have no kind of cohesion or correlation. “Yeah, Luffy tends to get clingy.” Law admitted to Kid about the dark haired man, though saying that was a bit of an understatement. When Luffy had met Law, all the way back in university, he had barely left the doctor-in-training’s side. It was like Luffy didn’t know what the word ‘boundary’ meant – or he did, but just chose to ignore it. It had frightened Law at first; he had almost gotten into a complete panic when Luffy surprise hugged him from behind like a spider monkey. It took a few more months of becoming comfortable with his presence before Law was able to withstand his physical affections, be they hugs or shirt tugs or cheek pokes. “To him you’re like a shiny new toy. He’ll lose interest after a while but until then you’re stuck. Congratulations.”

Kid’s face twisted into a grimace, and as if on cue his phone screen lit up, flashing on the car’s display with an emoji-filled message from Luffy. “Goddamn it.”

Law chuckled again. “I’m quite surprised about your friend Killer and my friend Penguin. Peng’s been swooning over the man he’s been seeing at the café for weeks now.” Law mused. “To think that same someone is your best friend.”

“Right? It’s a small world that’s for sure. Kil’s been talking about café cutie since he met him when we moved into the city, I’m glad he’s finally going out with him now.” Kid told him.

Law’s eyebrow quirked upwards. “…Café cutie?” He asked with a smirk.

Kid’ eyes widened, as if realising his mistake, and for the first time since meeting him Law was finally able to turn the tables and see what the man was like when _he_ was all flustered and red and abashed. The colouring on his cheeks showed quite clearly against his pale skin in the beginnings of a blush, more so than it could with Law’s more tanned complexion. Oh gods above. Seeing this huge, hunk of a man who presented himself with a cocky, confident attitude w with a deep crimson face that matched his scarlet hair was downright _adorable_ to Law. A Cheshire cat grin seeped upon the doctor’s face, and he was unable to refrain from teasing the poor, stammering mechanic. “You find my friend Penguin cute, Eustass-ya?”

“No! I-I mean, I’m sure he’s not _not_ cute but that’s not what I was saying! I didn’t even know how he looked til the party and it was just a glance! P-plus it’s only a nickname I made up to tease Kil about his crush cause he was crushing hard and it was funny to see him get all riled up. We uh, _always_ use nicknames for people we like. And it’s not that I’m interested in café cu- uh, I mean, Penguin! Yeah no, I’m interested in _you,_ y-ya know! That’s why I’m here. With you. On a date…” Kid rambled, letting his last words trail off a little while Law started to laugh, his initial giggles growing while Kid stumbled through his explanation.

“I see,” Law finally commented, a coy smile stretched across his face. “I have to wonder then, if Penguin got a nickname, did I get one too?”

“N-no! Nope! You didn’t get one!” Kid snapped before Law could even finish his sentence, tightening his hold on the steering wheel. Law laughed loudly, shaking his head, knowing full well that Kid was lying to him based on his hasty reaction and blatantly contradictive response.

“Aww Eustass-ya,” Law coaxed. “You’ve just revealed it to me that you give nicknames to people you’re interested in, and that should include me correct? So tell me. Come on, I’m terribly curious now~ I won’t laugh anymore~” Law promised in a teasing voice, biting his trembling bottom lip in an attempt to hold back the persistent giggles.

Kid grumbled under his breath and shook his head ferociously. “Nu-uh.” Kid said stubbornly, his knuckles practically going white with how tightly he was gripping the wheel. “Not even if you ask me all cutesy like that. Hell no.”

“Why, whatever do you mean by ‘cutesy’, Eustass-ya~?” Law asked, his mock-innocent voice laced in sultry playfulness. His words seemed to induce a full-body shiver from Eustass, who sucked in a deep breath as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“You know exactly what you’re doing, coy bastard.” Kid muttered, a frustrated scowl on his face. “Points fer effort, but that’s all you’re getting from me.”

Law rolled his eyes, resigning himself for now but filing the information away into the back of his mind for later. He was sure it would come up again in future. Even if it meant asking Killer – who Law hoped would reveal it on the basis that Kid had let slip _his_ nickname for Penguin – Law would find out one way or another.

“We’re almost there, by the way.” Kid said, steering the conversation away from the embarrassment he was facing. He put his blinker on and got off of the highway, turning into a small street that was bordered on either side by trees.

Law peered out the window, catching the sign indicating the place that Kid had been driving to; _The Little Garden Nature Reserve._ “Oh. I’ve heard of this place.” Law said, thinking back to when Zoro had mentioned it to him back in his university days as a spot he liked to visit when he needed to clear his head and do some alone-time working out. “But I’ve never been here before.”

Kid nodded. “Okay. Good.” He said, pulling his car over to the side and turning off the engine. “The rest is on foot, you going to be okay with that?”

“Yes, but I don’t quite understand.” Law started saying. “Are we going for a walk in the forest?”

“Yep. There’s a few walking trails, we’re going up that one,” Kid replied cheerfully, getting out of the car and pointing to the opening for the half-hour track. He popped open the boot of the car and brought out a larger backpack, swinging it over one shoulder.

Law followed suit, leaving his now-empty thermos in the car but taking out his knapsack. He turned his gaze upward to the sky, frowning a little. “I’m confused. The sun is about to set, isn’t it unwise to be walking in this kind of terrain at this time?”

“Don’t worry, I got flashlights. Catch.” Kid told him, tossing one of the black flashlights Law’s way. “If we leave right now we’ll be able to make it by sunset. Let’s go!” The red-head closed up the boot and the locked the car, tucking the keys in his pocket and reaching out for Law’s hand. Excitedly, he led the doctor towards the trail, Law lighting jogging to keep up with the long strides of those powerful legs. 

They walked together along the track. The atmosphere was serene, and the sights so far were quite beautiful; the trees became more of a thicket the further they walked in, and the scent of pine and eucalyptus permeated in the fresh open air. Law breathed in the natural scents of the forest, his hand still held tightly in Kid’s as he led the way on the well-travelled mostly man-made trail, the both of them being mindful of fallen branches and large stones. It was quite the workout, more of a hike than a walk, with an upward incline. The two were mostly silent as they walked, but the background sounds of the forest echoed around them. Birds tweeted their songs in the sky high above the trees, chirping crickets were making themselves known the closer the sun was to setting and faintly, there was the sound of moving water somewhere around them. In the last five minutes of their walk, it was becoming difficult to see, and so they had to turn on their flashlights to make sure they wouldn’t trip over.

“Oh okay! Okay, okay, that’s the exit to the trail.” Kid exclaimed, pointing his light to an opening in the trees. “Alright. Time to close your eyes.”

Law stopped in his tracks, blinking up at Kid and wondering if he had misheard. “Excuse me?” Law asked incredulously, gesturing to the ground beneath him. 

“I’ll guide you the rest of the way, but you have to close your eyes.” Kid told him, going behind Law and grabbing him by the waist. 

Law turned to Kid with a worried expression on his face. “I’m unsure about this, Eustass-ya. Do you want me to trip and break a leg? Because I’d rather not spend any more time at the hospital.”

Kid’s eyes seemed to soften, sensing Law’s hesitation. He snaked one of his hands up of Law’s body over his clothing, taking the other’s chin gently between fingers and twisting lightly so they were face to face. “Trust me?” He asked, before pressing a soft kiss on his lips. “I won’t let you fall okay?”

Law’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment at their connection, before Kid pulled away far too soon for his liking. Whenever Kid made a promise Law couldn’t help but want to trust it. It was always so genuine, he felt as though he had no choice in the matter. “You better not.” Was all Law muttered, before taking a shaky breath and complying with the other’s bizarre wish.

Kid was beside him with every step of the way, wrapping one arm around the Law’s waist and leading him upward on the trail, guiding him verbally and physically on where to step. Soon the bottom of Law’s shoes began to feeling flatter, more secure grounding with Kid excitedly telling him that in just a few more steps they’d be there.

“Are you ready?” Kid asked when they had stopped.

“As I’ll ever be.” Law replied.

“Open them.”

Law did, and he then understood why this was supposed to be a surprise.

The sight that greeted him was absolutely breathtaking. The trees that had been so densely encircled around them as they hiked opened up on either end of the opening and spread out, revealing a clearing that was nothing short of picturesque. The grass was a healthy, lush green, the shrubbery growing around were home to brightly coloured flowers, and – the masterpiece of it all – a cascading waterfall of sparkling, crystal clear liquid that gathered into a deep plunge basin. There were smaller streams emerging from the basin, flowing down to different areas in the forest, and Law surmised that this must have been the burbles he heard on the hike up. With the sun setting below the trees, the sky was alive with hues that matched every bit of Kid’s rich, fiery personality; brilliant, bold red, yellow, and orange hues, bathing the clearing in an almost ethereal glow.

If Law was not there to bear witness, he wasn’t sure he’d ever believe it if a person told him such a wonderful place was located so close to the city.

“Oh my god,” Law breathed in amazement, grey eyes unsure on what to focus on first. There was so much colour and beauty hitting him all at once, stunning him. The city had never looked as beautiful as what he was seeing now.

Kid paused before clearing his throat. “Do you like it?” Hed asked with a hint of apprehension in his voice, his hands still imprinted onto Law’s hips from when he had guided him here earlier.

“I-I have no words,” Law replied, unmoving from his spot.

Kid shuffled on his feet a little, scratching the back of his scarlet locks and glancing away uneasily. The mechanic was wondering whether or not this had been a mistake, considering Law was as still as a statue as he looked about the clearing. “S’that a good thing or a bad thing?” He mumbled to Law.

The indication that this indeed was a ‘good thing’ was when Law provided him with his answer in the form of wrapping his arms around Kid’s neck and locking their lips together. It was a chaste kiss; a warm, sweet, and deep collision that the both of them fell into so easily it was as though they had done so a thousand times before. Kid smiled into their kiss, resting his hands on the small of Law’s back and reeling him close to his body. Kid practically felt his dick twitch in his pants, having been desperate for the doctor’s smooth lips against his own since the moment they parted, and the very tempting thought of tackling Law to the ground and having his way with him right then and there was floating about in the forefront of his mind. It took more self-control than Kid thought he could ever possess to allow Law to control the pacing of their kiss this time around, the raven-haired male expressing his appreciation in sweet, lingering pecks that felt so damn good.

When Law pulled away, Kid let his hands slide down to the other’s ass and squeezed it gently, cheekily, before finally letting him go. “So I did good?”

Law crossed his arms in front of him and quirked up an eyebrow. “Was that not clear enough of a message for you?” He asked, pointing between the two of them.

Kid’s grin widened. “Maybe I need another one to make sure.”

Law rolled his eyes, giving Kid a light slap on his arm while the other cackled, swinging his backpack down onto the ground and opening it up. He brought out a large rug, settling it down onto the grass before unpacking a few boxes filled with snacks and motioning for Law to sit with him. “I thought it’d be nice to have a picnic while we watch the sunset.” Kid told him, spreading out the food. He had kept it simple, especially after discovering via text that Law didn’t like bread; he had thrown in packets of chips and nuts, made sandwiches for himself to munch on, a cold pasta salad for Law, and had brought along fruit in the form of apples, bananas, pears, and oranges. “Plus I hear that the stars are super bright from here, so that might be a pretty picture.” He said.

“I’m impressed.” Law offered, picking out the salad approvingly and beginning to eat. “I was expecting a restaurant or something simple, but a hike to see the sunset at a waterfall and then watching the stars? I had no idea you were quite the romantic.”

Kid shrugged, taking a tuna sandwich and unwrapping it for himself. “I can’t take all the credit. Kil suggested a picnic, I thought that was lame. But I really like the outdoors and thought maybe with some scenery it’d be okay. Did some research and found this place.” Kid told him truthfully. The red-head hadn’t ever seriously dated before, and if he was being completely honest with himself he was flying by the seat of his pants; it’s just that he hadn’t ever been interested in someone so vigorously as he had with Law, and he was treading carefully to make sure he didn’t fuck anything up before it had a chance to mature.

“I love it.” Law said, scotching over to Kid so that they were sitting close to each other, hip to hip. They ate in silence, watching as the sun set over the canopy of trees to the orchestra of the effervescent waterfall and the chirping and buzzing of insects in the forest. It was a sight to behold; an artist’s dream, the sky a melting pot of colour that slowly shifted the further the sun disappeared. The bright, vibrant fiery sky soon became a cool hue of purples and pinks, faint sparks high above slowly dotting the exosphere.

At one point they had finished snacking, and Law had his head leaning against Kid’s shoulder. The other had brought along a thin blanket, and the two were currently huddled beneath it as the hot weather became cooler with the introduction of the night. They were chatting now, low voices lost in the emptiness around them, and Kid thanked the stars that shone down from them above that nobody else was around – it made the private moment seem more meaningful and special, and he wanted Law to see that he was capable of thinking about such things.

“I got my test results.” Kid muttered, bringing out his phone. After their first meeting and subsequent texting, both Kid and Law agreed to get retested for any diseases and bring their results along, as well as a list of things they liked to do in the bedroom. Kid supposed now was as good a time as any to instigate that before it got too dark. His clicked on his glowing phone screen to show Law the email from the doctor he had visited, revealing negative test results. Law did the same, and then the two of them brought out their lists.

Law went first, his do’s and don’t’s written in his signature cursive on a neat piece of lined paper. The doctor had taken his time writing out his list, having never done something like that before. He knew of some things he was absolutely very clearly against, based on his past sexual experiences. He drew the line at verbal humiliation, hearing the faint cacking of Doflamingo in the recesses of his mind calling him his slut or whore or pet. He disliked being choked so hard he couldn’t breathe, was hesitant about doing too much in the public eye that might ruin his reputation as a highly esteemed surgeon, and other than semen and saliva he wished to avoid bodily fluids; he saw enough of that at work. His ‘yes’ column had been the hardest to write. Law had felt himself blushing furiously, finding himself quite turned on when his mind had wandered to things he enjoyed in the bedroom; bondage, for sure, either being tied up or doing the tying. Kissing and making out. Light spanking, light pain. Toys, toys, and more toys, and a few more things that made him feel good. He included a ‘maybe’ column too, of things he was willing to experiment with Kid if it were a right-day-right-time kind of situation.

He handed over the list to Kid, who had flicked on his flashlight to read it better in the dark while in turn handed him back a small, folded sheet. Law opened it and needed to stifle a groan after reading it over.

_“Kid’s Kinks:_  
_You, boo ;) ”_

A deep rumbling like thunder erupted from Kid’s chest, and Law glared at the man dangerously, crumpling the paper in his hands with a huff. “First of all, I’m not your ‘boo.’” He said matter-of-factly, though this seemed to delight Kid further.

“Not yet you’re not.” The red-head said confidently, a wide smirk on his face.

 _“Secondly,”_ Law continued, ignoring that comment for a moment. “I took your request seriously so the least you could do is have a list in return-”

“Right here,” Kid said, taking out another slip of paper from his pocket. Law took it tentatively, glaring once more at Kid who put up his hands in a pose of innocence, lips still curled upward in amusement. “That’s the real list. I just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to leave you speechless like that. Consider it payback.”

“Payback for what?” Law asked, trying to recall when he offended the man that he required redemption.

“Knocking me off of my feet, beautiful.”

Law opened his mouth to respond, only to close it again as he processed the meaning of Kid’s words. His grey eyes widened at the man, whose chuckle rumbled to a stop while he concentrated on reading the list. Goddamn it. Beautiful. Kid had called him _beautiful,_ beautiful enough to _knock him off of his feet._ Did he really see Law that way? Or was this just empty flirting? Because when Law looked at himself in the mirror, beauty was the absolute last thing he associated his reflection with. The only appealing thing about him – in his opinion – were his tattoos, which he intentionally got to cover up the various ugly scars that marred his skin from beatings and abuse he was the victim of frequently as a child. No, when Law looked into the mirror, a sorry sight was returned back. His eyes were always puffy and red from insomnia and exhausting work hours, and he had dark bags the size of boulders underneath them that gave him a look of living death. He would see a sullen face painted with fatigue, and paired with dishevelled hair that had gone far too long without a cut. Nothing about him was beautiful.

Yet here Kid was, giving him a casual compliment that Law didn’t know how to interpret at all. Had been giving him not-so-subtle compliments like that since they had met, actually. Law really, really, didn’t feel like he deserved such praise, especially from what he considered to be a _true_ vision of beauty – Eustass Kid, the personification of handsomeness, like a carved marble statue come to life.

Could it be that he was just trying to get into Law’s pants? _Yes, that has to be it,_ Law thought to himself. _But then why go through asking for a date? Why go through that trouble?_

“L-let me just read this.” Law mumbled more to himself than to Kid, opening up the paper with slightly shaky fingers and taking in a few deep breaths to calm down from the rush of thoughts that coursed through his mind.

Kid’s list was very similar to his, with some additions that Law would consider putting in his ‘maybe’ file. He had bondage on there too, as well as things Law hadn’t thought about before, like sexy lingerie. The main thing that Kid stressed to be of major importance on his list however, was the use of a safe word, even if they weren’t doing anything particularly hard core – it was listed plain as day in the ‘no’ section that he wouldn’t agree to do anything unless they had some kind of ‘go, pause, stop’ system. When Law asked about it, Kid told him it’s because he sometimes couldn’t differentiate between a playful “stop” while in bed with someone and a genuine cry of distress when things were getting too much for his partner. Law appreciated this kind of care, mainly because he hadn’t really had it before. With his one night stand with Zoro, the two of them had been piss-drunk and Zoro up until that point had been incredibly sexually frustrated that they hadn’t even spoken before roughly fucking each other’s brains out with no regard for either person’s safety or preferences. His last relationship – with a police officer named Smoker – held a lot of prolonged silences and lack of communication in _and_ out of the bedroom, their similar personalities clashing more often than Law thought they would. Smoker was a mix of rough and gentle, but Law couldn’t recall ever being asked about what he liked, or what could make it better, and had been too terrified of expressing anything first for fear of his weaknesses being exploited. Trust didn’t come easily to him, and he was happy to have kept most of his relationships at arm’s length for his own self-protection.

So… why was Kid the exception? Just because he asked for a safe-word? Because he had stayed the night instead of fucking off when they were done like everybody else had? Because he planned a romantic date under the stars with no sexual expectations while others would just bring a bottle of wine over to Law’s apartment and presume they’d get lucky?

Law didn’t know, but he had already resigned himself into settling back and seeing where the ride would take him with Kid.

“I know this is supposed to be informative and shit,” Kid ended up saying once he had read the list and pocketed it. “But it’s really turning me on.”

Law chuckled, doing the same. “Me too.”

The stars were shining brightly now, more of them appearing in the darkened sky above. Law felt a chill up his spine from an unexpected breeze, and cuddled up closer to Kid. The red-head wrapped his arm around the other’s shoulders, resting his chin on the top of Law’s head. “So. How’d I do for a first date?”

Law smiled, removing himself from where he was buried into the man’s neck so that they were face to face. “Best date I’ve ever been on.”

“Would you go out with me again after tonight?” Kid mumbled, inching forward, the tips of their noses brushing against each other lightly.

“Most definitely.” Law whispered, before Kid crossed the little space left between them and connected their kips together deeply for the second time that night. While the last one had been sweet and demure, this was more of a crash of passionate lust, both men groaning as their bodies pushed closer together. Kid repositioned himself, the blanket fluttering off of their shoulders while he took control this time, pushing Law’s body down flat onto the picnic rug and settling himself atop of the him. Law’s deft fingers slid up Kid’s muscular arms and threaded into his crimson locks, bringing his face closer to deepen their kiss, running one of his legs up and down the other’s calf muscle. The prickling from the grip in his hair had Kid grunting in pleasure into their kiss, a tingling sensation stemming from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.

Kid could spend hours kissing Law – among other things – and was currently wondering how far Law would let him go since they were out in public when the man chose that moment to lightly press his palm against Kid’s beating heart and push him away, breaking their kiss in the process.

“K-Kid, if we keep doing that,” Law whispered. “I won’t want to stop, and I don’t want… not out here…”

Kid understood, if anything because if he wasn’t told to put the brakes on things, he’d have ravaged Law right then and there, in the middle of this gorgeous forest clearing with the stars as their witness. He gently wrapped painted fingers around Law’s wrist, pulling the other upward so that they were once again sitting next to each other. “What would you like to do, Law?” Kid asked softly, tracing circles into his inner wrist with his thumb.

The fluttering in Law’s chest at the question hit him unexpectedly, and he cast his gaze away from the form of the delightfully considerate man next to him. He was still so unused to being asked about what he wanted it was all a little daunting. Control was something he typically gave away to others; having it instead was a completely different experience. “Can we… continue to watch the stars?” Law asked carefully.

“Whatever you want to do,” Kid told him, leaning back onto his elbows and glancing upward at the sky. “I’m just happy being here with ya.”

Law was thankful for the darkness around them, sure that his face was as red as a tomato. He buried his head into Kid’s chest, partially doing so to hide his blushing cheeks. He felt Kid’s muscular arms wrap around his smaller body while he stared up at the bright stars in the sky. In his arms, Law felt protected. Law felt secure. The coolness of their air around them was forgotten, and any fears or worries or hesitations on Law’s part were virtually wiped from existence. So long as he was in Kid’s arms, Law felt calm.

And most important of all, Law felt _safe._

\----------  
They laid under the stars for another hour or so, Law’s head resting on his chest. They talked softly, spoke in whispers, listening to the soothing sounds of the babbling stream from the waterfall and huddling up close when a stray chilling wind broke through the trees. The quiet moments between them weren’t awkward at all, both men simply at peace with each other’s company. Kid’s fingers gently tracing across Law’s back. Law’s even breathing as he listened to the steady-beating of the heart that lay beneath him. An intimate tranquillity. An unspoken connection. A picture-perfect moment of serenity.

Sighing contently, Law shifted so he could sit up on the blanket. He pressed the home button of his phone, the bright screen making him squint after his eyes had become so accustomed to the darkness. “It’s getting late.” Law mumbled. “And the drive back is an hour.”

“Want me to take you home?” Kid asked him through a yawn, having dozed off for a few minutes. He stretched now that he sat up, some of his joints popping satisfyingly.

Law nodded, and the two got to packing up their picnic items into Kid’s larger backpack. Law threw on his hoodie, missing the warmth of Kid’s arms around him now that his skin was kissing the cool air of the night. The trek back was slightly difficult in the darkness, Kid and Law tightly holding hands and relying on their flashlights to guide their way back to the car. Thankfully, the walking track was a mix of natural and man-made, so the path out of the forest was relatively unobstructed, and they were able to exit the forest with ease. After loading up the car, they settled in for the long ride home.

\----------

“Here we are,” Kid said, pulling up in front of Law’s apartment building. It was well past midnight now, the drive towards the city was much easier than the journey to the Nature Reserve due to the lack of traffic on the roads. After switching the engine off, Kid turned to Law and smiled, leaning a little over to his side. “Enjoy it?”

 _More than I thought I would,_ Law thought to himself before returning the man’s smile and nodding. “It was wonderful.” He responded. He hadn’t pegged Kid as the type of person who would go to such lengths, or even go on a romantic route, but Law wouldn’t complain; he was pleasantly surprised to see that the cheeky, snarky, dominating man that had caught his attention had many layers, including a softer, more charming aspect that had Law absolutely swooning.

Kid leaned further across the centre compartment, his eyes glinting joyfully. “If it’s alright Law,” he started saying, his voice dangerously low. Law hadn’t been expecting the drop in tone, and he immediately felt a jolt run up his body and go _directly_ to his damn crotch. As long as he wasn’t being shouted at he was an absolute sucker for a goddamn voice like that – husky, rough, hoarse, _deep._ He shifted in his seat, casually pulling down his jumper to cover his lap under the guise of simply adjusting his seating. “There’s one more thing I’d like to do to really end this date off on a high note.”

Oh man. Law wasn’t exactly sure how to interpret that, having heard _similar_ requests from others who wanted to be invited up to his apartment after going out or wanted a little something extra from their meeting. What would the excuse be to sleep with Law this time? He could practically write a book with various lines men had dropped on him in their attempts to be let into his bed. _‘Can I use your bathroom? How about one more coffee before I leave? Oh, my phone is out of battery, can I charge it at your place for bit? Jeez, it’s really hot/cold out here, sure do wish we were indoors instead of outside!’_

“What is it?” Law asked.

Kid seemed to hesitate a moment before his face was practically inches away from Law’s. He glanced down at the man in the passenger seat, fiery eyes giving him a look so intense that had Law’s heart racing in his chest. He was perfectly still as Kid’s rough hands reached up, lightly taking either of Law’s cheeks and bringing his face closer. Law was expecting a kiss on the lips, but instead Kid turned his head to the side and pressed his lips down onto his cheek. Law closed his eyes as he was met with a soft, sweet kiss on his right cheek, the feeling of lips lingering there even after Kid had pulled away. A small smile was on the red-head’s face, and he nodded once before letting his hands slip down Law’s side. “Yeah. That’s a nice way to end a date.” He muttered softly, caressing Law’s cheek.

And with that it all seemed to be over, and any doubts Law had about the content of Kid’s character were completely washed away. It was becoming clearer to Law that this man wasn’t like others he had been with. Kid wasn’t going to try to take advantage of him. He hadn’t made Law feel guilty for not inviting him up to his apartment already, as others had been so wont to do. He had pulled away when Law had asked him to when they had been lying down under the stars, hadn’t pressured Law into doing _anything,_ wasn’t trying to convince him into having sex with him even though Law could feel how hard he had been back at the clearing when he was on top…

It made Law feel so damned…

Happy. Happy, and…

Valued. Respected.

Law’s mind was made up. When Kid had opened his mouth – presumably to bid Law goodnight – Law cut him off by grabbing Kid by the collar of his top and pulling him forward and mashing their faces together for another kiss.

A real fucking passionate one this time. Right on the goddamn lips.

Kid grunted with pleasure, hands finding their way to Law’s upper arms and gripping tightly while the other pressed as much of his body against him, opening his lips to deepen the exchange. Kid tasted like smoke and fire, and Law finally understood why such things that could be so bad for a person were so goddamn _addictive._ He let Kid’s tongue enter his mouth, tangling with his own, lewd, wet sounds emitting from the contact.

When they finally parted for air, Law smirked up at Kid, eyes glossy with lust. “There are _better_ ways to end a date.” He said seductively.

The confidence that Law displayed seemed to delight Kid, and the wildness that had attracted Law to him in the first place returned. His fingernails dug into Law’s arms through the sleeves of his jumper. “Oh yeah?” Kid responded, slipping one hand underneath Law’s shirt to feel his smooth skin, sending even more of an internal fire burning across his belly. “Why don’t you tell me how?”

“I’ll do you one better and _show_ you,” Law responded. “If you come up into my apartment with me and spend the night. Only if you want to, of course.”

“Heh. Just try to stop me.” Kid teased, continuing to trail his fingers across Law’s skin. “And here I was thinking you were going to send me off home after we got back.”

“What can I say?” Law said bashfully, kissing the side of Kid’s jaw. “Sometimes it’s fun to play hard to get.”

Kid smirked widely. “I’m starting to understand that you just like to play.”

“Always.”

Law shuddered at the excitement in Kid’s eyes before the man lowered his face to Law’s ear, mumbling under his breath. “Then let’s _play,_ Law.”

_Hell yes._

They exited the car, but didn’t part for long. Kid took Law’s hand and walked him into the apartment building with him as if he fucking owned the damned place, the eagerness prevalent on both sides. When they got inside Law’s flat and the front door shut behind them, Kid hugged Law from behind, slipping his fingers down to the hem of Law’s hoodie and underlying shirt, prying the fabric off of his body and tossing it to the side. “God, your body is gorgeous.” Kid muttered, running his hands up Law’s body. The compliment had Law flushing red, and he was silent as he let Kid explore upwards, feeling every inch of him under his hot touch. Tracing up to his chest, Kid lightly pinched down on Law’s nipples, the prickling having Law biting his lip and arching backwards into Kid’s body, hands reaching upward to thread into his long red locks. His nipples were already hard, with Kid continuing to pinch and rub and stimulate them, and having them played with turned Law the fuck on. Kid played his body like an instrument, deftly managing to render Law weak at the knees simply by feeling him up and grinding his hardness against his back.

“You know what I didn’t get to do to you last time?” Kid’s voice rumbled against Law’s ear, hands now drawing downwards to the elastic waistband of his pants and underwear. He dragged it down, only needing to give it slight force before the fabrics fell to Law’s ankles, exposing his semi-hard cock. Kid gripped the base, and Law immediately tensed up as the other began stroking lightly. “I didn’t get to taste you _here,”_ Kid continued, smearing some of the precum of Law’s dick with his thumb, the other shuddering at the sensitive touch, and the implication of his words. “And I really, _really_ want to suck you off. You like the idea of that? You want my mouth around your cock?”

 _“G-gods yes,”_ Law practically begged, sparing a glance upward at the pure, undiluted lust on Kid’s face. Oh man. There were no words to describe how badly Law wanted Kid’s mouth on him. From the devouring kisses he knew the other could provide, that left him hot and wet and breathless, he knew that that talented mouth would be able to show him damned good time. The man had a long, powerful tongue, the muscle forceful enough to have Law’s own one fall victim to in their open-mouthed exchanges, and he wanted it on his cock to see just how much else it could pleasure him. Being sucked off was such a treat that Law found himself rarely ever getting; so used to being the giver rather than the receiver, and too embarrassed to ask for it even with partners he liked. It was always Law on his knees, suckling and blowing and having his mouth stretched wide. Bedpartners would push him down to the ground without abandon, shove their cocks inside of him without taking into consideration that he might want the cation reciprocated.

Kid had offered his mouth to Law without even knowing it was one of his favourite things in bed. The red-head didn’t even bother waiting to lead Law into the bedroom, so eager to suck him off he simply grabbed Law by the waist and forcefully slammed his back against the wall before dropping onto his knees. Kid’s golden eyes glazed over Law’s naked glory, holding onto the man’s cock in a rough grip with one hand and bringing his licking lips closer and closer.

Law let out a keening moan the second Kid’s mouth had taken the tip of him inside. It already felt amazing as hell, Kid immediately getting to work with suckling the sensitive dripping head. Law was held in place against the wall by Kid’s free hand, digging into his waist and holding steady as he took more of Law into his mouth. Law leaned his head back against the wall, squeezing his eyes shot and focussing on the abundance of pleasure that was pooling inside of him as his cock grew fully erect. God, Law _loved_ getting sucked off, and he mentally reprimanded himself for never being more vocal about it in the bedroom because of how goddamn spectacular it felt. He parted his legs as Kid sunk his wet mouth all the way to the base, licking and sucking ferociously as he concentrated on fully pleasuring Law. His fingers were now touching every bit of flesh he could find, including the sensitive skin of his cock and balls. God, Kid sucked cock like it was his damned _profession,_ knowing just the _perfect_ amount of pressure to use when dragging his teeth or hollowing out his cheeks, driving Law into an almost inebriated state. His breath hitched and Law opened his silver eyes wide when he felt Kid’s hand position one of Law’s legs up and over his own shoulder so that the other was standing on one foot as he leaned on the wall. Kid had been looking at him the entire time from below, hot, amber eyes fitted with an intense stare that practically froze Law in his place. In this position, with that hot mouth rendering him useless from pleasure, Law felt utterly at Kid’s mercy.

It felt like _heaven._

 _“K-Kid,”_ Law breathed, starting to sway his hips forwards and backwards, his cock driving deeply into the other’s mouth, his ass clapping back loudly against the wall. Kid took him all with zeal, closing his eyes and sucking harder, faster, slamming himself onto Law’s cock and drawing sweet, breathless moans of delectation from the trembling doctor, who was on the brink of orgasm. _“I-I’m going to-”_

It took one final swallow around his length to have Law fisting his fingers into Kid’s unruly red hair before he came with a violent shudder, exploding his seed in Kid’s mouth. The man on his knees kept his mouth latched onto Law’s cock like a vice, throat working to down every last drop that Law had to give, sucking his oversensitive flesh dry as Law moaned above. Law was practically dizzy as he reached that blissful high, lamenting the loss of Kid’s wet crevice when he finally did pull away, a string of saliva still attached between them.

The look Kid gave him was completely obscene, his lips quirked into a raunchy smirk while his tongue darted out, swiping across his lips as though he had just eaten. “Thanks for the meal.” He said with a chuckle. Bastard. How did he still manage to look so well put together even after he had just given Law the best damned head of his life? Sure his lips were a little puffy, but didn’t look nearly as wrecked as Law felt.

“S-shut up.” Law chastised, lowering his raised leg carefully onto the floor from where it had been resting on Kid’s shoulder. Kid stood, the outline of his own erection prevalent through his pants as he pressed his chest to Law’s and kissed him hungrily, some of his semen being transferred onto his tongue. Law didn’t mind, and kissed him back, reaching down to squeeze Kid’s erection in turn.

The other pulled back and before Law could even ask if he wanted the favour returned, hefted Law up and over his shoulders. Law yelped the unexpectedness of having his world turned upside down, hanging over Kid’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “H-hey! I am capable of walking!” Law said, twisting to glare at the back of Kid’s head.

Kid shrugged, turning his head to smirk at the annoyed expression on Law’s face. “Faster this way.” Was all he said before bringing a hand down to smack Law’s ass. Law yelped again as he jerked forward from the action, biting his lip when he instantly felt a sense of pleasure spark from the pain. Kid started forward, walking towards the direction of Law’s room which he had committed to memory since first being here. He unceremoniously tossed Law onto his bed, crawling up with him. Still dressed, Kid lowered his pants only enough to pull out his cock, Law already reaching for the lube at his bedside table to toss it over to him. There was something quite exciting to Kid about fucking Law while he was still clothed and the other was totally naked, and he couldn’t wait to lock himself inside that tight heat once again. The expression on Law’s face was just as lust filled as Kid’s one, even though the other had come only moments ago.

“I hope you don’t think I’m done with you Law.” Kid told him, taking the lube and popping the cap. “Not by a longshot.”

Law bit his lips, leaning back on his elbows and whimpering a little as he watched Kid lube up his ass. His finger slid inside easily, much more so than the first time they had fucked, being worked into him quickly and delightfully. Kid prepped Law as best as he could, having known from last time that having enough lubrication was a necessity if they both wanted to enjoy their time. Soon, Law was a writhing mass on the bed while Kid finger-fucked his hole open, both their cocks fully erect.

Pouring some more lube on his cock, Kid finally lined up against Law’s hole. He pushed in, lightly at first, trying to insert himself slowly so as not to hurt that beautiful man beneath him.

“K-Kid, please,” Law breathlessly moaned, his legs spread on either side of the man. “I-I need you… inside- _uagh…_ ”

A sway of his hips and more of Kid’s cock was inserted inside, the red-head taking all the time in the world to make this enjoyable. “Fuck,” He whispered shakily, leaning down and kissing the man’s exposed neck. “I don’t think I’ll be able to control myself when I’m inside of you.” He said. “I wanna fuck you hard.”

Law whimpered with need, lifting his hips upward further as means of an invitation. “ _Yes,_ Kid…”

“Oh fuck, Law,” Kid muttered, nipping at his exposed flesh before resting his lips against the others shoulder as he slid into home with a hiss. Law gasped, his body practically seizing up as his hole was fully breached, his walls tightening around Kid’s cock deep inside of him. “I’m going to make you see stars for a second time tonight.”

And Law believed him, for when he closed his eyes and held on while Kid ravaged him throughout the night, he didn’t just see the same beautiful star-filled sky they had watched on their date. He saw _galaxies._


	11. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yer real sexy Law.” Kid continued talking, his drunken ramblings reflecting a lot of his inner thoughts about Law. “Ya got those legs ya know? They’re long, ‘nd powerful ‘nd I love it when they’re warped- warp- wrapped ‘round me. ‘Nd yer hair is so soft, ‘nd it _always_ smells nice. Ya got the most pretty face I ever saw, ‘nd I never ever _ever_ wanna forget it ever.” Kid closed his eyes, sucking in a deep breath. “I could kiss ya forever. I wanna be with you all the time.”
> 
> Law was quiet over the line, and Kid wasn’t of sound enough mind to understand whether it was a positive or negative silence. He was too sleepy now, mumbling and shifting under the covers of his bed. “Ya still there?”
> 
>  _“Y-yes.”_ Law responded, and it was the best sound in the world to Kid. _“I… I want to be with you too Eustass-ya.”_ He said quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm so very sorry for the delay in this chapter but it's here! I'll try my best to get the next one out in a week or so, depending on how busy I get with my work and studies but in the meantime, please enjoy the further development of Kid and Law~ Thank you all so much for your comments and kudos! I'll get around to replying to them all now, before I drag my tired self to bed.
> 
> This is completely unedited, so I apologise for any mistakes that may be present in this chapter. I'll be looking this over tomorrow, but for now I just really wanted to get this chapter up~
> 
> Edit: In my haste to post this, I got the countdown month number wrong. Silly silly me!
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 11: References to violence (brief flashback), mentions of workplace harassment, swearing.

**30th November, 2019**  
**Grand Line City Hospital**  
**6:45am**

** Eight months remaining. **

** Law’s Day **

The Grand Line City Hospital was a place of comfort for Law. He was unsure why, considering more often than not he was up to his ears in tiring work and was forced to put up with some unlikeable co-workers, but he felt like his complete best self when he was there. Whenever he stepped into the pristine, white-walled building for a shift, he was in a world he knew well. It didn’t always make sense, and it definitely wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine as death could literally be at any turn, but Law knew that as long as he was there, he was making a difference. Like a switch flipping in his mind, he’d be fully focussed, productive, and do whatever he damned could to help those in need of it.

What he didn’t appreciate while on the job was when his personal life was threatening to pool over into his professional one. He preferred to keep them as separate as he could. Unfortunately for him, Law’s friends at the hospital – specifically Shachi and Penguin – didn’t harbour the same mindset. The two were currently walking down the hallway on either side of Law, bombarding him with questions about what he had been up to these some weeks with his new beau, Eustass Kid.

“Okay but seriously Law you haven’t even said a word about where you went with Kid on Halloween. Did you go to a party? Out of town?” Shachi asked curiously.

“Yeah! Your phone went straight to voicemail every time I called, did you have no reception or something?” Penguin continued.

“Ohhh where would you go with no reception Law? What did you get up to?” Shachi smirked, poking him on his upper arm.

“Yeahhh come on Law! Spill the beans already!” Penguin begged, poking Law’s other shoulder.

Law sighed irritably, digging his fingers into his temple and massaging the area roughly as he tried to hurry away from the playful poking his friends were annoying him with. “Shachi, Penguin, is my whereabouts _truly_ the most pertinent issue right now? We’re at _work.”_ He asked irritably.

Shachi, a ginger-haired man currently dressed in blue scrubs took two long steps forward to stand in front of Law and block his path down the hallway, pointing an accusatory finger at the doctor. “You aren’t getting away with this so easily Law!” He insisted dramatically, waving one of his arms around in frustration. The pen attached to the clipboard in his hand via flimsy string flew about, almost hitting a passer-by patient. Penguin snorted, reaching up to cover his mouth as he laughed jovially at his friend’s actions. Law – and the patient Shachi had almost blinded with the pen – were not as amused, opting to glare at the ginger-haired man, who quickly and nervously apologised before resuming his conversation. “I mean it though Law! I know you’re still in the honeymoon phase with your boyfriend but we barely get to see each other anymore since you’re always off with him! And why haven’t I been introduced to him yet? _Penguin_ introduced me to Killer like instantly, why are you keeping your boyfriend a secret? I barely even remember what he looks like.” Shachi whined. 

“He’s-! Shachi, he’s not my boyfriend.” Law exclaimed, his voice far more loud than he wished it to be, a few stray eyes being cast in his direction at his sudden outburst. Shachi raised an eyebrow, giving Penguin a look that revealed he didn’t believe that statement at all. Penguin in turned, crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Law.

“Are you kidding? You’ve been exclusive with him for like a month now.” Penguin pointed out.

Law glanced away, muttering under his breath about how annoying Penguin and Shachi’s mothering of him could be. Well, perhaps it would be akin more so to smothering considering how confined Law felt with their incessant questioning. Maybe it was unfair to the two of them that Law was being so secretive, but he never had been one to flaunt around anything, be it a relationship or a partner or his skills and talents as a surgeon. Plus, he wasn’t lying when he told the two that he and Kid weren’t yet using the term ‘boyfriends’ to describe each other; Law was still getting there, needing to take his time before plunging into a committed relationship. Though he had to admit, he was reaching that point of bringing it up again with Kid, and seeing where they stood. He liked Kid. A _lot._ And with every date they went on, every night they hung out at Law’s apartment together, the more Law realised that he could see a future with him.

Still, Law didn’t believe this was the business of Shachi and Penguin. As excited and intrigued as they were, Law had to sort out his own feelings first before revealing that kind of information.

“I’m not obligated to tell either of you anything. In fact, how about we stop speaking altogether if this is what you’re going to keep bringing up?” Law said with a scoff. He instantly regretted it when he saw the impish look Penguin and Shachi shared with each other before they both gasped loudly. Shachi brought a hand over his chest as if Law’s words had been a bullet going straight through his heart, mouth opening and closing like he were a fish out of water gasping for air. Penguin put an arm around Shachi and leaned against him, the back of his hand resting against his forehead as if he were putting on a dramatic scene in a play. 

“Slighted!” They both cried out. “We’ve been slighted!”

“Oh Mariejois above…” Law mumbled to himself, bringing his clipboard up to hide his embarrassed expression while the two continued to chant. It was drawing in quite an audience, some of the other hospital workers surrounding them laughing, others curiously inching forward to hear more about what was going on. Law did possess an air of mystery around him, and naturally others were curious about the handsome doctor who would only ever interact with those he went to university with. Chopper, Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin were the lucky few who were on friendly terms with Law; others who wanted to know more about him either had to brave the danger and ask outright (receiving almost immediate rejection soon after), or take a chance by eavesdropping on conversations like this whenever they so rarely occurred.

“You two,” Law said through clenched teeth, watching as Shachi and Penguin draped themselves over the reception desk, earning a few giggles from the nurses. Honestly, how did he end up with such a lively crew of people as friends? Law was more exhausted managing Shachi and Penguin than he felt dealing with a 16-hour shift at work sometimes. His only saving grace was Bepo, who’d have shut down this situation the second it happened out of respect for Law, but he was nowhere in sight right now.

After the initial embarrassment of Shachi and Penguin exposing the finer details of Law’s private life to their work colleagues, the raven-haired doctor’s face transformed into that of a murderous scowl towards those who were sticking around for the possibility of hearing more. A few nurses and doctors that had gathered scurried away after seeing Law’s deadly expression, and Law thanked fuck that he held some semblance of authority at the hospital lest he be bombarded with further questions by people who really had no business sticking their noses into what he did outside the disinfected rooms of their workplace.

“What are you moping about this time boys?” The green-haired nurse at the reception desk asked in a perky voice.

Shachi sighed again, crossing his arms and pouting at the nurse. “Monetttttt,” He moaned dramatically as he addressed the nurse. “Law’s being impossible! First he gets himself a boyfriend for the first time in forever-”

 _“He’s not my boyfriend!”_ Law tried to interject, but nothing seemed to be stopping Shachi from babbling away.

“-and he refuses to let his _bestest friends in the entire world_ meet him-”

“I didn’t say that!”

“And _now_ he’s threatening never to speak with us again!” Penguin finished for him, the two sniffling and pretending to wipe tears from their eyes. 

The nurse giggled, glancing up at Law with a furtive smile stretched across her face. She rested her elbow on the desk and leaned forward, cocking her head slightly to the side. “Boyfriend?” She asked curiously. “Please Doctor Trafalgar, do tell.”

It was unfortunate that Nurse Monet was immune to Law’s vicious looks; she continued to smile up at him while he glared menacingly at her and the others, before finally letting out a frustrated groan. “There’s nothing to tell. And you two, don’t drag strangers into my personal business.” Law reprimanded harshly to his co-workers, his grip on his clipboard tightening, fingers inked with ‘DEATH’ turning white with how harshly he was gripping the thin piece of wood.

Monet chuckled again, lifting a hand up over her face to cover her mouth. Law had to hand it to her, Monet was not so easily intimidated by him, her superiors, or difficult patients. She had a thick-skin and was able to step up and take control, which was not only essential for her type of work, but also obtained her a considerable respect from her colleagues, who – unfortunately – tended to dismiss the nurses easily. “Doctor Trafalgar, you’re going to snap that thing in two.” She commented, indicating to the clipboard in his hands.

“That’s not the only thing I’m going to break.” Law mumbled to himself, glaring daggers at Shachi and Penguin’s sprawled form. He was eyeing the men so fiercely that he could practically feel the dark aura emitting from himself to the melodramatic doctors.

“You wound me,” Shachi said with a pout.

“His words cut like a knife Sach,” Penguin sighed, shaking his head. Monet continued to laugh with glee at the man’s antics and at Law’s growing irritation.

“You deserve it. Don’t go parading around telling people about my life.” Law told him sternly. “ _Especially_ at work. It’s highly unprofessional.”

“Speaking of work Doctor,” Monet said, shuffling through some papers on the desk. She attached a couple to another clipboard and handed it over to Law. “There was a patient admitted with shortness of breath, high blood pressure, and an erratic heartbeat. It might be a cardiac condition, so Doctor Kureha asked me to pass it along to you while you do your rounds for the morning. I’ve added some more new admissions there too, for when you take some of the newbies around for training.”

“Thank you.” Law responded to her, glad that the subject had now shifted back to what it shouldn’t have strayed from in the first place. “I’ll get right on that. Shachi, Penguin, come on.”

The two bid Monet a farewell and hurried to follow an already moving Law, who was flicking through the papers on the clipboard the nurse had given him. He read through the symptoms of the patients carefully, mind drawing a few conclusions on what the possible diagnosis could be whilst simultaneously conjuring up questions he could ask the latest batch of interns. As an attending surgeon and physician now, he had some extra responsibilities at work which he took with stride; it made his job busier, but he was grateful for the exciting new opportunities that came with it. He wanted to help people, and any chance he got to further his own experience – or even further the experiences of others, including the new interns he was in charge of – he would take without complaint. He loved his job and was proud of the work he had achieved in his years at the hospital. Yes, it was draining and depressing and difficult most of the time, but it was so rewarding and satisfying that Law deemed the pros outweighed the cons.

It’s what he had always wanted to do, and he wasn’t ever going to let this wonderful job of his slip through his fingers. Nobody was going to come between him and the work he loved.

Just as Law was about to ask Shachi to gather the interns for him so they could start their clinical rounds of the inpatients, the ginger-haired man beat him to it by speaking first. Honestly, Law should have known better than to think he was no longer in danger of Shachi and Penguin’s persistent line of questioning about Kid, and the current status of their relationship. The two could rarely ever keep their mouths shut on the best of days, why would today be any different? Didn’t matter to them that they were at work either, which truly got under Law’s skin because he couldn’t fathom discussing his personal life in a place where he should be working. He should be lucky that at least this time Shachi had the decency to keep his voice down as he asked.

“Why are you so worried about everyone finding out he’s your boyfriend anyway? Is he a freak show like Peng’s boyfriend?”

“Hey!” Penguin exclaimed, smacking Shachi across the arm.

“It’s true though, I’ve never seen him take off his facemask so he must have something to hide right?”

Penguin grumbled. “Can we go back to interrogating Law instead?”

“Can we _not?”_ Law said irritably.

“Are you embarrassed about him or something Law?” Penguin continued to pry. “And if he’s your boyfriend why hasn’t he visited you at work yet or asked about meeting all of your friends or-”

Law stopped abruptly, and Shachi bumped into his back, Penguin following suit. Their rambles were cut off at unexpected contact. The doctor turned to face his friends – and oh how he used that term _loosely_ right now – sliver eyes slitted in annoyance, unsure about what ridiculous question to focus on first. He settled for instead forgoing to answer any of them, and opted to repeat what he had told Shachi and Penguin barely minutes ago. “He’s. Not. My. Boyfriend.” Law told him once more, speaking slowly and clearly as if that would help the message truly sink in.

Shachi raised an eyebrow. “But-”

“No ‘buts’,” Law interrupted. Shachi pouted, crossing his arms in front of him. “We can talk about it later, when there are no lives at stake.”

“You promise?” Penguin asked, a hopeful look on his face. Shachi mirrored that look too, eyes wide and sparkling, expectant smiles on their lips.

Curse Law and his easily swayed nature when it came to those he cared about. He relented, nodding slowly while his friends whooped and hi-fived, thanking Law profusely, finally excited about the prospect of hearing more about the elusive Eustass Kid. Law had to firmly remind them that they were still on the clock, and that they had some interns to torture – ahem, _educate_ \- before any such conversation could arise. Upon hearing this, Penguin and Shachi saluted, back onto their best behaviour as they finally reached the main room for the inpatients.

The interns had already been rounded up, waiting expectantly for their teachers. As they approached, Shachi greeted them and introduced himself, Penguin and Law as the attending physicians – and in Law’s case physician-slash-surgeon. Clinical rounds was straightforward – occurring every morning, it was intended to discuss information about the patients and the changes that may have taken place during their stay in the hospital, while also familiarising the newbies with the types of maladies they may need to diagnose and treat as part of their job. Law liked being in charge of rounds; it gave him an indication over which of the new doctors would be able to prosper on their own during the internship, since the hospital was always seeking talented young doctors, and which needed some extra help which he would be happy to provide.

Not only that, but working in this kind of way reminded him a lot of his parents. Passing down medical knowledge and educating others sent Law back to when he was a child, sitting at the dinner table and listening to his mother and father discuss their work life, dropping facts about how the human body worked or debating various medical theories and journals. Both of his parents had been doctors, renowned in their home town of Flevance as the best practitioners in their field. His mother had been both physician and surgeon, which is the degree that Law had studied hard to obtain at university and medical school. He remembered the look of delight on both his parents faces when he had told them that he too wished to be a doctor, having wanted to follow in their footsteps for as long as he could remember. His parents had provided him with a plethora of resources to aid his inquisitive mind about the world of medicine, starting with easy, child-friendly cartoonish picture books. A quick learner, Law ended up forgoing the picture books when he was able to read better, turning to medical novels or textbooks that his parents had lying around their house. He’d create dioramas and displays out of crafts, taking them with him to school for show and tell, proudly announcing to all of his peers how he was going to be the best doctor in the world. He’d play ‘doctor and patient’ with his little sister Lami, making her giggle while he used a toy stethoscope on her and made the _‘thump thump thump’_ noises of a heart in a goofy voice. Law’s parents had indulged him greatly about anything he had to ask about the medical world, including the morbid questions that stemmed from his inquisitive and growing mind about how the body works and what happens during decomposition or how to deal with a botched surgery.

As Law’s parents weren’t around anymore, he felt as though he were honouring their memory now by doing unto other young upstart doctors what they had done to him; foster their education by sharing his wealth of knowledge to guide the next generation of workers to do their best to cure the sick.

Law often wondered if his family would have been proud to see what he had become. Being a doctor and working in the medical field was the last connection he had to his parents, and he held onto it dearly, valued it more than the all the riches in the world. He wondered too, if Cora would have been proud of what he made of his life.

Looking down the line of the nervous new interns in their pale blue scrubs, Law offered them a smile. The bags under his eyes probably made his expression seem a lot less friendly than he intended it to be, but that couldn’t be helped. The newbies would too get used to the long hours and lack of sleep that came with the job. Law wasn’t trying to appear threatening, truly – but he couldn’t say that he didn’t take delight at how some of the interns paled as they glanced between his drained face and the ‘DEATH’ tattoo on his fingers. His smile curled into a mischievous smirk, and Penguin face-palmed at the obviously ghoulish appearance Law was putting on now.

“Alright, who’s ready to see a dead body?”

Promptly, one of the interns passed out, their unconscious form thudding onto the floor. The others jumped, some taking a few steps back while a couple bent down to attend to their co-worker, glancing up at Law with wide frightful eyes.

“Aw man, not again.” Shachi lamented, narrowing his eyes at Law before pushing through the interns to lift up the body on the floor. “You’ve got to find a better way to keep these guys on their toes!” Bepo – who had entered the room – came rushing to help Shachi, mumbling a few ‘sorry’s!’ to the other interns standing around Law while Penguin tried to calm down the rest of the interns.

Their attention was turned back to Law when he chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. Ah, newbies. So easy to scare. It was worth the talking to Law was surely going to get later on when his superiors caught wind of his trickery. Though, considering many of them had tried that same tactic on him when _he_ was an intern, it should just be slapped as a hospital tradition instead of something to be scolded over. 

“I jest, of course. The dead bodies come later. If you’re lucky, that is. For now, let’s begin with clinical rounds…”

\----------

Rounds had gone well. The unconscious intern woke up not five minutes after they had passed out, and re-joined the group as they walked from bed to bed to check the diagnosis of the patients, asking about their state and wellbeing. As they progressed, Law stressed the importance of checking charts and not being afraid to ask for a second opinion if something seemed incorrect, as well as making sure to ask the patient how they were doing or if there were any changes since they were last visited. He shared with the interns his own experiences of being in their position not too long ago, which seemed to relax many of them incredibly now that they knew Law wasn’t as menacing as he appeared to be. When it was done, and Shachi handed out some work assignments to each intern, pointing out the nurses in the room that would be able to oversee their interactions with the patients. Penguin had commented that the interns this year seemed to be a good batch, jotting notes about the individuals that caught his eye as already highly competent, with Law and Shachi’s input. Checking the time, Law had to get a start on prepping for his first surgery of the day, and so left his friends – who, much to his chagrin, reminded him of his promise from earlier – to get to the operating room, flicking once more through his clipboard to reread the information on his patient.

Once at the prep room, he set on getting ready. Law placed his clipboard down and reached for his pocket, bringing out a small bandana and adjusting it over his head to push the raven hair out of his face. That had been a tip from Zoro – the other had shorter hair than Law, but it ensured nothing would be in his way when he was working out or training to build upon his fighting skills. Once the bandana was tied, he slipped on his surgical mask, tucking the strings securely behind his ears before turning to the washbasin. He disinfected his hands and washed thoroughly, from his fingers to his elbows, grey eyes scanning over the letters tattooed on his skin; the reminder that he held the precious power of life or death in his hands. Doctors and peers had commented many a time on the irony of Law’s tattoo in relation to his profession; some laughed, thinking it some kind of funny joke, others steered clear, misinterpreting his intentions of getting said tattoo. But Law didn’t care what any of them had to say. The reminder of death at every turn motivated Law during his surgeries to do everything in his power to banish the reaper and heal the sick.

Finishing with his hand-washing, Law dried off and began cracking his knuckles and fingers; sort of a pre-surgical meditation. The sound settled him as he popped each finger with satisfaction, letting himself get into a clear-headed mindset. Those assisting on the surgery started to enter the prep room, going through their own form of ritual; one reached for the crystal jewellery that was tucked beneath the collar of their scrubs and kissed it for luck before putting it away, another was chanting a prayer under their breath to the god Enel for a successful surgery. It was interesting to observe each having their own unique practice, and Law returned some of their greetings as he finished up his own ritual to slip on his latex surgical gloves.

Law was completely calm, and until a doctor had the displeasure of _ever_ knowing waltzed into the room.

Doctor Caesar Clown was in a permanently bad mood. Law could count on one hand the amount of times he had seen him smile since he had been working at the hospital, and even then he refused to consider them friendly gestures; they were more along the lines of being sinister, secretive, and unkind. His long blue-tinted dark hair was wrapped in a messy bun atop his head, black-rimmed eyes narrowed in permanent annoyance as he scanned around the room at the other surgeons chatting happily amongst each other, as if their comradery was a personal offence. When his eyes set upon Law, a horrible sneer of disgust stretched among his pale face.

“Doctor Caesar.” Law said curtly, seeing the twitch in Caesar’s face when was addressed.

 _“Doctor_ Trafalgar.” Caesar said back with mirth, bypassing the other surgeons to slot himself next to Law who was finished at the wash-basin. He turned the water on high, turning to Law and lowering his voice as he asked his next question. “So how much did you bribe Kureha to lead this transplant?”

Law frowned, resisting the urge to snap at that damned Caesar and lose his focus. God, he _hated_ being in a room with that clown, and the feeling was abundantly mutual considering how Caesar took any opportunity he could to bully Law and belittle his skills. “I did not bribe Doctor Kureha or anybody to lead this surgery. No surgeon worth his salt would tarnish their reputation with such _malpractice._ Isn’t that right, Doctor?” Law held back a grin at how twisted Caesar’s face transformed when he heard the emphasised word. The doctor had been suspended earlier in the year after he was accused by a patient for not following professional protocol. While Caesar had passed it off as being on a short holiday, Law and most of the other doctors had seen the registry; ‘suspended without pay’. It was only a matter of time before they were able to put two and two together, and understand that Caesar couldn’t be at the hospital since he was under heavy investigation. How he passed the inquiry of his shady practices, Law had no idea.

“You know nothing about that,” Caesar promptly replied, washing his hands violently under the heavy spray, water splashing about everywhere. “If you value your career, you’ll do well not to bring that up again.”

“Is that a threat?” Law asked, raising his voice a little and catching the attention of one of the female surgeons in the room. Ikkaku raised an eyebrow, glancing at Law as if to silently ask what was wrong. He flicked his eyes between herself and Caesar, and she nodded, discreetly moving closer within hearing distance of the man. Law liked Ikkaku – she was a competent doctor, and often sat with Law and the others in the cafeteria on their breaks as she was a close childhood friend of Bepo’s. She – like many of the other surgeons and doctors at the hospital – disliked Doctor Caesar. He had a knack for making others feel uncomfortable, and Ikkaku knew that all too well, having threatened to file a sexual harassment complaint against him when he ‘accidentally’ groped her ass in the on-call room when she was trying to get some rest.

Law’s question however seemed to shut Caesar up, and he growled as he turned off the water in the basin. “Don’t be stupid. Of course not.” He replied, his shrill voice threatening to break Law’s bubble of calm. “Besides, you’re not long for this profession.” Caesar dried off his hands, one of his secretive smiles on his face.

A chill ran up Law’s spine. “What… is that supposed to mean?” He asked, treading lightly. Ikkaku’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to say something before Caesar spoke first.

“Nothing.” He commented in a sing-song voice. Caesar’s smile grew, giving him a maniacal, crazed look. “Best of luck leading the operation, _doctor.”_

With that he turned and walked off to get his gloves and mask, leaving Ikkaku and Law staring after him. That wasn’t the first time Caesar had said something threatening like this to Law, but there was something about the way in which he’d do it that bothered him; that it was some sort of premonition, like it was already set in stone that Law wasn’t going to last much longer at the hospital.

Law didn’t like the feeling of unease that consumed him. What’s worse, his concentration for the operation was cracking due to his internal panic.

“Are you alright?” Ikkaku asked him. There was worry evident in her brown eyes but her eyebrows were creased into a frown. “What was he saying to you before I got behind him?”

Law glanced away, wondering if it was worth saying anything at all. Caesar had been working at the hospital much longer than Law had, and even though he had been involved in some shady investigations, he’d been cleared every time. Many of the older doctors held some respect for Caesar, with the exception of Kureha; but then again, Kureha was the only one of those elder doctors worth listening to anyway. “I believe he was just talking shit.” Law ended up saying, deciding to keep it to himself for the time being. He would address the issue as soon as he could, but now wasn’t the best moment. He had a surgery, and he had to do said surgery _with_ Caesar as an assisting doctor. “But thank you Doctor Ikkaku, for your support.”

“You let me know if you need me around again okay?” She said with determination. “I hate that man, and I’ll be glad to see him gone. He’s a total creep!”

Law nodded, silently agreeing with her. He had no clue as to why Caesar Clown had it out for him so badly, but Law had to be careful; if for some reason his job was in danger, he’d know exactly who to point the finger at.

“Patient is ready to be wheeled in! Waiting on your call Doctor Law!” A voice called from outside the prep room.

“We’ll be right there. Send them in.” Law replied, practically feeling the mood in the prep room shift. The casual conversations died down in favour of discussing the operation, or what their roles would be in the OR. Law spared a glance at Caesar as he led the others out of the room. He wished he hadn’t looked; the expression on Caesar’s face was pure, undiluted hatred. Eyes like daggers glared at Law so sharply he could practically hear them slashing about the room, aimed in his direction. Law shuddered and swallowed loudly, avoiding Caesar’s gaze and instead focussing on putting one foot in front of the other to get to the operating room.

\----------

** Kid’s Day **

Kid didn’t usually have any plans after his shifts at work. Sometimes he’d end up in Law’s apartment, but in most cases he’d be resting at home after slaving away over broken down cars, nursing a beer and watching a film with Kil if he was around. In the past, he’d been a socialite; sometimes for his job, where he had to rub shoulders with other gang members, and sometimes because he fucking felt like going out and partying it up. Nowadays, he preferred a quieter form of relaxation. It made him laugh internally, as he felt it akin being an older gentleman instead of a young man in his twenties.

Still, when Franky approached him at the end of the day when Kid was wiping the grease off of his fingers with a dirty rag offering to buy him a drink at The Flaming Phoenix, Kid wasn’t going to say no. It would be a great way to take the edge off, and Kid didn’t have anything waiting for him at home. Ideally he’d have spent more time with Law, since that was slowly becoming his favourite pastime, but Law had texted him earlier saying he had an overnight shift at the hospital so they wouldn’t be able to see each other. Plus, Kid was sure Law’s ass could use a break, considering they fucked on the regular. He had to stop the smirk threatening to cross his face as he drove behind Franky as they reached the bar, willing his lustful desires to simmer down lest he sport an erection he couldn’t explain away to his boss. It was already awkward enough that Franky knew Law on a personal level and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively whenever the doctor was brought up in conversation.

Parking next to Franky’s ute, Kid got out and waited for the other to lock his car so that they could walk into the bar together.

Kid paused when his hand was at the handle of the door, his entire frame stilling. Golden eyes scanned the sign hung up on there; CLOSED.

That sent a feeling of apprehension within Kid.

“Why is it closed, Franky?” He asked quietly, pulling away from the door.

Franky’s face paled, and he chuckled, the noise very clearly showcasing his nervousness. “M-marco must’a forgotten to flip over the sign again.” He dismissed, reaching for the door. Kid let him, stepping back and watching cautiously as Franky opened up, the chimes hanging at the top ringing with the action. When he realised Kid wasn’t following, Franky glanced back with a sheepish and forced grin that Kid simply didn’t trust.

“What’s going on?” Kid asked in a stern voice, one he probably shouldn’t be using around his boss. However, judging by the cringe and expression of absolute guilt that crossed Franky’s face, Kid found himself unable to give a single shit for raising his voice against just this once. A bar in the middle of a bustling and busy downtown area seemingly closed and untouched on a Saturday night was a fucking weird situation, and Kid didn’t like the insinuation that Franky was leading him into a dangerous situation. It was all too familiar of dealings Kid had had in the gang world.

“Okay… so… we’re not just getting a drink.” Franky replied softly, glancing between the opened door and Kid’s still form, arms crossed protectively in front of him in a threatening stance. “But the others didn’t want me to say anything to you. I-I’m sorry.” He said genuinely.

_The others? Say what?_

Kid couldn’t help but feel as though he was in danger, and it spurred on a plethora of dark thoughts from his past. Memories of one particularly bloody evening crossed his mind, of a situation that had started off similarly to the one occurring now, and he pushed it away in down to the far recesses of his brain.

Plain and simple, Kid couldn’t ignore that Franky had deceived him. Tricked him into enjoying an evening of drinks and leisure only to apologetically inform him there were _others_ waiting for him inside. The paranoia that Kid had been slowly shedding himself of these past few weeks was creeping back up. Could Franky have found out about his past life as a gangster? Was there someone from Big Mam’s disbanded family who had come out of hiding to execute him for his traitorous, double-crossing actions? Was _Franky_ working with someone who wanted Kid gone?

Fucking hell he should have brought his damned gun with him.

“Tell me what’s waiting for me in there.” Kid demanded, not going to take a single step into what he believed was impending danger.

Franky sighed in annoyance, but not at Kid; at the people who had asked him to do such a deceitful thing in the first place. “Luffy’s in there, with Nami, Ace, Zoro, Sanji, Ussop, and Robin.” He admitted. It didn’t relax Kid in the slightest. “They want to talk to you about Law.”

That took Kid by surprise, and he raised a brow bone in curiosity. “Is Law okay?”

“Oh yeah bro! Law’s fine!” Franky assured him. “This is uh… how did Nami put it… this more of a ‘formality’.” He explained, making quotation marks with his fingers. “About your relationship with him, since you’ve been together for more than a month now. Just… a talk, you know?”

Franky’s words didn’t click right away, but when they finally did – and Kid realised what this was truly all about – he breathed a sigh of fucking relief. Oh yeah, he understood it well now. Kid _was_ about to be threatened, but it wouldn’t be by vindictive gang members who wanted his head; it was by friends of his current flame, most likely implying that if something were to happen to Law, they’d make his life miserable.

 _That_ he could deal with.

“Alright.” Kid said with determination, squaring up his shoulders. “Bring it on.”

“Super! And don’t you worry Kid – I’m on your side, bro!” Franky told him with a supportive thumbs up, opening the door wider now so that they could both enter.

The bar was empty, save for one table in the centre occupied by those listed by Franky earlier and holding some bottles of unopened beer and filled wineglasses. Marco as the owner was there too, leaning behind the bar and watching with a raised eyebrow as Franky led Kid to the table, pulling out a chair for him to sit down on. The others were seated too; Luffy directly across from Kid, Nami settled cross-legged in his lap. Sanji was on their left, Zoro standing behind him and drumming his fingers across the back of the chair. Ace had the chair on their right. Robin was standing next to Kid’s chair, offering a chilling smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Ussop was a little ways away from the table, leaning against another one, a look of unusual determination on his face.

“Welcome,” Nami said, her face set in stone. She had a wine glass in her hands and beckoned to the empty chair. “Please, sit.”

For people who weren’t in a gang, they were for damned sure acting like one. It was almost identical to how these kinds of meetings usually operated. Zoro was clearly the main muscle; his stance was that of a lion ready to pounce, feet slightly apart and a predatory look upon his face as he seized Kid up with a sharp stare beneath. He wore a bandana, the fabric low on his forehead, giving a dark, shadowed look to his eyes. Ace and Sanji were both in relaxed poses; the dark-haired man had a smile on his face, resting his chin and elbows on the back of the chair he was straddling, which had been flipped over. Sanji was smoking, sucking in deeply before blowing out long puffs that smouldered in the room, one ankle crossed over the other as he leaned back. Franky and Robin were the support, wandering around the table, eyes trailing across all the occupants but lingering mostly on Kid. Ussop was overseeing, and had this truly been a gang meet he – and Zoro – possible would have had some kind of weapon drawn to further alarm their victim. Even Marco at the back, tending the bar despite not serving any customers, was the mediator here, the owner of the neutral ground whereupon this meeting was taking place. 

And then of course, there was the leader and mastermind of it all; Nami and Luffy, sitting together, implying that they were truly a force to be reckoned with. Law had mentioned a few times that Luffy was sort of the leader of their group, but he seemed to miss the memo that he was supposed to be as serious as Zoro in this role; he had a large grin on his bright face instead, and waved happily as Kid sat down. Nami rolled her eyes, setting her glass down on the table and crossing her arms, the jewellery adorning her wrists dangling lightly. Kid wondered if perhaps he had it wrong, and it was her instead of Luffy who was the leader. That would make Luffy the mastermind and Kid almost laughed aloud because from what he had seen of the excitable young man, that was terribly difficult to believe.

Kid took his spot, leaning his forearms on the clean wooden table in front of him. Yeah, this was very reminiscent of his past dealings.

_A casual meet turned sour. Bound to a chair, unable to move. Big Mam with the knife. Killer’s screams drowned out by a witch’s cackle. The splattering of blood on Kid’s shirt, on the floor, on the table, on the chair. The sanctity of the Family bond reinforced through a violent warning. He had to get out of this life, he had to take Killer and run as far away as he fucking could he had to go he had to go he had to **go-**_

Kid distracted himself from these disturbing memories by taking out a pack of cigarettes from his jeans pocket, flicking up the top and taking one out with his teeth. He snapped the pack shut, and before he could reach for a light once was already given to him; Sanji extending his decorated lighter, the bright flame brought up to the tip of cig. Kid breathed in, watching a sliver of smoke emerge as it was lit.

 _She’s dead._ Kid thought to himself as he let out a relaxed breath, feeling some of the tension escape his taut muscles. _These guys aren’t in a gang. They’re friends of Law’s. They won’t try to hurt you and if they do you’ll take them all the fuck on._

“Hi Jaggy!” Luffy said, either ignoring the heavy atmosphere in the bar or not even realising that there was one in the first place. It made Kid feel more at ease; one of the things he had noticed about Luffy in his time getting to know him – something that Law had confirmed too, when Kid had pointed it out – was that he was completely honest to a fault. Kid doubted that Luffy was feigning his happiness, didn’t believe it was a trick to get him to let his guard down. Still, Kid kept his wits about him, glancing around the room before returning Luffy’s smile.

“Hey.” He said, taking another long drag.

“Did Franky tell you why you’re here?” Robin asked, resting a hand on Franky’s arm and cocking her head to the side as she examined Kid across the table from where she was standing.

“He mentioned that you wanted to talk about Law.”

“Yeah, Law. Great guy.” Ace said with a smile. Kid’s lips twitched; this sounded completely rehearsed, and he was more amused at the situation he was in than he was threatened by it. “You’ve noticed that by now right Kid?”

At the bar behind them all, Marco rolled his eyes. “Idiots.” He mumbled under his breath, looking at the table with a bored expression.

“You see,” Sanji continued, butting the cigarette in the ashtray on the table. “A lot of us met him at university, back when he was a nervous wreck, fresh out of being home schooled. And he’s gone through a lot since then, relationship wise. Had his heart broken many times, and that’s a hard thing to watch a dear friend go through. Since that’s what Law is to us.”

“And you’re our friend too now Jaggy so we wanna make sure you two get along!” Luffy said cheerfully. Marco snorted from behind the bar, earning himself a glare from Zoro.

Nami touched Luffy’s arm, leaning to whisper something in his ear. Luffy’s face twisted into concentration and then he gasped. “Oh yeah!” He said, turning to Kid. “Sorry! I’m supposed to be angry at you!”

Sanji face palmed and Zoro groaned loudly, Nami smacking her boyfriend on his head and shouting his name in anger. “Aw! What’d I do this time!?” Luffy whined.

“Goddamn it Luffy you just had to play along!” Zoro said with a shake of his head, reaching for one of the unopened beer bottles and undoing the cap with his teeth.

“What the hell are you doing Zoro!? Don’t drink yet, you’re breaking character!” Nami countered, standing from Luffy’s lap and wagging a finger at the green-haired man.

“Your boyfriend screwed it all up in the first place, witch-woman.” Zoro said with a shrug, earning a harsh stare from Sanji and a reminder not to speak in such a way to the beautiful Nami-swan, who was currently being held back from slapping some sense in to Zoro by Franky while Robin chuckled in the background.

Marco in the meantime was doubled over in laughter behind the bar, smacking the wooden surface loudly with a closed fist. Ace – in a panic – tried to get out of his chair to shush his husband, hoping to salvage whatever he could of their previous intimidating aura, but instead tripped over his own feet and went toppling over, chair and all. That started a complete chain of events; a howl of laughter erupted from Luffy and Ussop, the two slapping their knees as a string of colourful curse words escaped Ace’s mouth from his fall, Marco running out to help his husband up. Zoro spat out the sip of beer he had taken, accidentally having it land on his boyfriend, and Sanji stood from his chair to kick the green-haired man in the side for “RUINING MY EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLAR SUIT YOU BASTARD!”. Nami being consoled by a chuckling Robin, the red-haired woman saying how she could “never trust any of these idiots again” while Franky offered her another glass of wine to soothe her nerves.

Kid was laughing now at the ridiculousness of the situation, unable to help himself even though he was the person under scrutiny here. The menacing air about them had considerably dissipated, intentionally or not, and even though some – like Nami and Zoro – seemed unhappy about that, the majority of them were in good spirits.

When they were all seated now, the chaos from earlier settled, it was less of a mafia-esque meet and more of a relaxed hang out with friends.

“If it’s any consolation, you guys did a good job at scaring the shit out of me,” Kid said with a smirk. He had to give credit where it was due, and the seven of them truly had appeared as one fearsome unit.

“Don’t you patronise me.” Nami said with a sniffle, downing the third glass Kid had seen her pick up. “None of this happened like how I wanted it to.”

“That’s alright, I’ll still listen to what ya have to say,” Kid said with a shrug, dousing his cigarette and reaching for a new one. He offered one to Sanji, who had taken off his precious suit jacket and looked at it forlornly where it was stretched across the back of another chair. Marco reached for his own pack too, sitting now in Ace’s chair with the man in his lap, red in the face from the embarrassment of his fall. Sanji took one from Kid’s and passed the lighter around, while Zoro cleared his throat and started to talk.

“Honestly, we just wanted you to know that we care about Law, and we don’t want to see him hurt. You’re the longest relationship he’s had in years.”

“Yes,” Robin took over. “It’s adorable to see his excitement whenever he talks about you, but we do have reason to worry.”

“He’s been with some shitty people in the past.” Sanji mumbled, some of the others nodding in agreement. “Not recently. His last boyfriend Smoker was fine, they just decided to split ways. That’s their business.”

“But before Smoker, back in his university and med-school days, some of those other men fucked him up pretty bad.” Nami pointed to her head. “Mentally, he was a wreck.”

“Law’s doing a lot better now.” Ussop told him. “And he’s really happy being with you, which makes us happy too since we want what’s best for our friend.”

Kid nodded. “Yeah. I get it.” He said, taking a drag from his cigarette. “I guess it’s safe to say that if I hurt him, you’ll hurt me?”

“We’ll make sure he stays the fuck away from you,” Zoro said without skipping a beat. “And we’ll make your life a living hell if you ever try to lay another hand on him again.”

“You’re not going to hurt Tarao, are you Jaggy?” Luffy asked him, a serious look on his face.

Kid shook his head. “Of course not. Haven’t done so yet, won’t ever do so in future. That’s a promise to all of you.” He told them.

Luffy smiled, and soon some of the others followed suit.

“Good.” Nami said, setting her now-empty wine glass down. She grinned, picking up two of the beers and offering one to Kid before taking the other for herself. “With that out of the way, we can do what Franky promised you we’d do. Marco, you can open for business now.”

“Yeah, and you better pay me back for making me close up on the busiest night of the week.” The blonde said with a roll of his eyes, nudging Ace out of his lap so he could finally go and flip the bar sign to OPEN. Not five minutes passed before patrons started flooding in, the near-empty bar now filled with joyous laughter and the sounds of clinking glasses and bottles. Among those were Kid and his group, now finally relaxing and drinking in merriment as friends instead of opposing sides.

\----------

_“They did **what?** ”_ Law’s loud voice emitted from the speakerphone of Kid’s mobile, echoing in the emptiness of the red-head’s bedroom.

Kid laughed loudly, collapsing onto his bed and letting the phone fly from his hand onto the pillow next to him. “They threatened to kick my fucking ass.” He repeated, a slight slur in his words. After drinking the night away with Luffy and company, Kid was inebriated and buzzing. It took a fair bit for him to get drunk, but he hadn’t realised he was competing with equally heavy drinkers who had given him a run for his money at the bar. He, Nami, and Zoro matched each other shot for shot, Franky and Ussop cheering them on while Luffy and Ace played around with the old-style jukebox and sang way too loudly in exuberance. Kid was unable to drive in his intoxicated state, and so had slurred to Killer on the phone to swing by to pick him and his car up and take him home in the early hours of the morning.

Law had texted him on the ride there saying that he was finished with his shift and wanted to know if they could meet up sometime tomorrow to hang out and Kid responded by calling him and putting the phone on speaker since his fumbling, clumsy fingers prevented him from typing out coherent texts. Kid had explained the unusual meeting to a tired-sounding Law, and was now in the safety of his bedroom courtesy of Killer guiding him along.

 _“Please don’t think I asked them to do that on my behalf,”_ Law responded, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“S’all good,” Kid said with a shrug that Law wouldn’t see. “They’re fun ta hang ‘round with. ‘nd they’re good people, yer friends.”

Law laughed quietly. _“They are.”_ He said with affection.

“How’s yer night been?” Kid asked.

 _“Let’s talk about it another time,”_ Law replied with a yawn. _“You’re drunk, and I’m exhausted. Are you in bed?”_

“Yeah. All alone.” Kid sighed. “Want ya here with me, sexy.”

_“H-hush.”_

“Yer real sexy Law, you know that?” Kid continued talking, his drunken ramblings reflecting a lot of his inner thoughts about Law. “Ya got those legs ya know? They’re long, ‘nd powerful ‘nd I love it when they’re warped- warp- wrapped ‘round me. ‘Nd yer hair is so soft, ‘nd it _always_ smells nice. Ya got the most pretty face I ever saw, ‘nd I never ever _ever_ wanna forget it ever.” Kid closed his eyes, sucking in a deep breath. “I could kiss ya forever. Yer lips are like a drug to me... I wanna be with you all the time...”

Law was quiet over the line, and Kid wasn’t of sound enough mind to understand whether it was a positive or negative silence. He was too sleepy now, mumbling and shifting under the covers of his bed. “Ya still there?”

 _“Y-yes.”_ Law responded, and it was the best sound in the world to Kid. _“I… I want to be with you too Eustass-ya.”_ He said quietly.

Kid smiled, holding his phone like a precious gem and taking Law off of speaker to bring the device up to his ear. “Come over ‘nd spend the night wit’ me, beautiful.”

 _“Not tonight Eustass-ya,”_ Law told him. Kid whined like a puppy, holding the phone even closer to his ear as if that would bring Law to him. _“But I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? I’ll bring some medication for your headache.”_

“Mmkay.” Kid said, voice getting softer as the pull of sleep became stronger. “Sleep well, my Doctor Heart Stealer.”

Unaware that he had leaked the secretive nickname to Law, Kid’s fingers flopped around on the phone screen until he hit the big red end-call button and became lost to the world around him.

A few blocks away, in Law’s apartment in the Grand Line City, the raven-haired man was curled up in his own bed, cradling his phone close to his chest. There was a wide smile on his face, cheeks burning up from what he assumed was Kid’s affectionate nickname for him. _Doctor Heart Stealer._ It had a lovely ring to it. Law had no idea why Kid was so embarrassed to tell him about it when they had gone out on their first date, and he had let it slip that he and Killer had nicknames for those they liked. He was utterly flattered that someone liked him enough to give him such a clever, punny sobriquet, with such a romantic undertone to it too.

Law set his phone aside, tired eyes lingering on it before he settled back down onto the bed, another yawn escaping his lips. He had intended it in a different way when he said he wanted to be with Kid, but it didn’t register with the red-head since he was evidently drunk. Law was ready to take the next step in their relationship. He was past the ‘getting-to-know-Kid’ stage was wanted to make things official, and accept his offer and be his boyfriend. It had been long enough, and Kid had long proven he was someone that Law could be with in a romantic sense. Not only that, but if Law’s friends were giving Kid ‘The Talk’, that meant they must like him too, otherwise they wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of it in the first place.

Yes, it had gone over Kid’s head but Law figured that might work in both of their favours. That meant Law had the element of surprise up his sleeve, and as he placed his head upon his pillow, he already knew _exactly_ how he was going to tell Kid he was ready to take this plunge.


	12. Of Secret Meetings and Season's Greetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid’s phone buzzed with a message. He glanced at the screen before a large smile appeared on his face at the name of the sender; _Law._ Opening up the message, his heart practically soared out of his fucking chest at the words that greeted him.
> 
> _Law: If you’re not doing anything on Christmas day, would you like to come over to my apartment for dinner? You are, of course, welcome to stay the night if you wish._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! A bit of a transition chapter here but a chapter nonetheless! Building up into something better, I promise. This is kind of a cliffhanger, in a way? But not a bad one! I'm very excited to post up Chapter 13 later this week, which is already in the works~ Thank you once again to all the lovely comments and the kudos! I hope you enjoy this more plot-heavy, relaxed chapter in the meantime ^^
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 12: Panic attack, anxiety, physical workplace harassment, mentions of past gang violence, homophobia/homophobic characters, homophobic slurs, swearing.
> 
> Additional Note: Should also mention that this chapter talks about Sanji's family, so if you aren't up to date with the anime or manga of One Piece, this chapter will spoil that for you.

**20th December, 2019**

** Seven months remaining. **

**Kid’s Day  
Kid and Killer's apartment  
12:05pm**

_Thump!_

Kid stirred awake, grumbling sleepily under his breath at the loud, intrusive noise that drummed directly into his ear.

“Wakey wakey Kidderooski. We have business to discuss.”

Killer’s smooth tenor – and the god-awful nickname he had taken a liking to calling Kid these days – influenced Kid to open his bleary eyelids and reaccustom himself with his bearings. The muscles in his back were tight and tense, and the stiff kink in his neck reminded Kid that in his weariness from a hard-pressed day at work he had slept on the couch the night before. Tsk. The most comfortable piece of furniture it was _not._ The couch was fine for asses, but did not fare so well when large, well-muscled men attempted to rest on the too-firm and slightly clumpy cushions.

He hadn’t remembered covering himself up with the blanket that was bunching up at the bottom of the couch as he sat up, so Killer must have done so for him during the night. Glancing at his watch, Kid groaned as he noted the time; just after midday, meaning he had virtually lost the time of morning productivity. The location of this apartment was leagues above the hovel that he and Kil had been staying at when they first moved to the city, and so Kid rather enjoyed the sights that passed him as he went on his sunrise runs around the surrounding blocks. He especially liked that merely a few streets away was Law’s apartment, where he’d sometimes stop by to bask in the presence of the man who had become increasingly important to him during the course of their courtship. It was already irritating Kid to his very bones that he had missed that opportunity today, especially since he and Law hadn’t been speaking as frequently these days due to Law’s immoderate hospital shifts. Kid missed him with every passing hour, damn it, so much so that the need to see Law was like an itch beneath his skin that couldn’t scratch no matter how hard he tried.

“What’s up?” Kid asked in a gravelly voice, his throat aching lightly. It felt like the beginnings of a sickness, and Kid blamed the weather. Being from the tropical, warm, beachy climates to the South, the weather hadn’t ever reached this level of cold. He wasn’t used to it whatsoever, and neither was Killer, both of them having stocked their closets with a ridiculous amount of winter jumpers, fluffy ugg boots, and goose-feathered duvets and still deeming their preparation not enough.

And it hadn’t even started to snow yet. As much as Kid hated the bitter cold, he hadn’t _ever_ witnessed snow before, and was waiting with baited breath every day to see a glimpse of it. So far the clouds in the sky had yet to bless the world with the gift of snow, but the forecast over the Christmas week was looking promising.

“Heat and Wire are here, and boy did they pull through.” Killer said, hitching his thumb to point behind his shoulder to where their two friends were lounging about in the dining chairs that they had dragged from the kitchen counter. In the past weeks, the two had managed to tend to all their prior engagements down South – including tying up those loose ends with Kaido’s gangs to ensure they’d be able to leave without needing to watch their backs as they exited Wano – and had rented out an apartment together downtown. Heat was sipping from a steaming mug, pinky up – _like a fancy motherfucker,_ Kid’s still-waking mind managed to coherently spit out at him – one long leg crossed neatly over the other. His dainty actions contrasted greatly to his rough-and-tough appearance. His mane of thick, curly blue hair was untamed and frizzy, like it had been a humid day and he was suffering the effects. His face, adorned with various piercings and two small tattoos, was set in a small greeting aimed Kid’s way as the red-head shuffled to bring the collapsed blanket over his knees. Wire occupied another dining chair to Heat’s left, the goatee Kid had last seen him with now shaved clean off in favour of an upcoming city trend of unusually manicured beards, two triangular patches of hair on either side of his face. His brown eyes were set in what most people would assume to be a bored look, but Kid knew his friend well; Wire was calculating, always planning and thinking away in that noggin of his. He managed to spare Kid a smile too, crossing his muscular arms in front of him while Kil spoke again. “We got some information on Donquixote.”

“Not easily, mind you.” Wire said with a gruff. “But then again, when is _anything_ easy for us right? The universe takes the phrase ‘kick a man while he’s down’ far too seriously when it comes to our group here.”

“The universe is a bitch.” Heat affirmed with a nod, sipping from his mug. “But that didn’t stop Wire and I from doing what we had to do. That folder goes back over twenty-five years.”

“Jesus fuck, it’s thick as shit.” Kid muttered, stretching to pop some of his taut muscles, sighing with relief when his body relaxed. That was the last time he slept on the fucking couch overnight, that was for fucking sure.

Killer sat next to him on the couch, scratching his chin as he watched Kid centre the file on the coffee table. “Was it hard to get?”

“Not all of it, but we had to watch our backs the closer we got to the city.” Heat explained. “Donquixote’s father, Homing, wasn’t the most discreet Don in the game. Had a lot of information ripe for the picking if you went to the right people.”

“Out of curiosity, could this shit be sent to the police?” Kid asked.

Wire shrugged, lighting up a cigarette and setting the pack down on the table. “You could try, anonymously, but talk is that Donquixote has a lot of the police in his pocket. Plus, that’d put me and Heat’s asses on the line. You know how many threats we got from the people we interrogated? Sayin’ if we started shit by bringing this information to the authorities they’d make us wish we were dead?”

“We’d never betray your trust like that.” Kil said firmly, and Kid nodded beside him. “You’re friends. I’d rather bite my tongue clean off than disclose anything you’ve done for us.”

“Me too.” Kid supplied. He wouldn’t even entertain the thought of ratting out Wire and Heat. Their group of four was pretty tight-knit; he was obviously closer with Killer, but he had grown to consider the other two like family too.

“We believe you. And we were trying to be careful so that nothing would come back to you, either, since you’re the ones who requested the info., It helped that lots of the guys in Kaido’s gang were happy to rat Donquixote out for past grievances.” Wire said. “He has a _lot_ of enemies. We’re talking heads from all over the Lines. But funnily enough, despite being hated universally, he’s surprisingly respected amply among other heads to the point where they won’t consider starting a war with him.”

Kid frowned, opening the first page of the folder. He thought back to the conversation he had had with Kaido over the phone, back when he had been worried that he had a target on his back. The familiarity that his old boss had towards Donquixote had been evident, so at some point they had to have tolerated each other enough to want to work together. “Kaido included, I suppose.” Kid voiced. “From what I understand, they were partners in the drug trade a while back.”

Wire’s calculating eyes shifted to Kid’s form, and Kid didn’t like the grim look that crossed his friend’s face. “You’re not thinking of joining-”

“Absolutely not.” Killer said firmly, interrupting Wire’s question, already knowing what the other was going to ask. “Never again. But it helps to be prepared. Kid got a warning a while back, and even though nothing else has happened since then, we aren’t taking any chances especially now that we’re both…” Killer’s eyes softened and he rubbed his face. With his three friends who had been with him through thick and thin, he was without a facemask, and the jagged scars across his cheeks and mouth were shown freely. A permanent mar on his handsome face, a reminder of his and Kid’s past life with Big Mam. “Now that we’re both seeing people.” He continued, and Kid knew that the thought of Penguin was weighing heavily on his mind. Kil had disclosed nervously to Kid a few days ago that he still hadn’t been around the other without his facemask on – the two hadn’t even kissed yet – and he was planning on finally doing so soon.

Heat nodded, sipping his tea. “Makes sense. Gotta protect what’s yours.”

 _If only he was truly mine._ Kid thought to himself, mind drifting off to Law and how the other still hadn’t said a word about his previous proposal of sealing the deal to their relationship. Law and his sexy smile and his sultry expression in bed and his gentle laughter that was music to Kid’s ears…

“You with us bro?” Kil asked, nudging Kid’s knee with his own. Kid nodded, ruffling his own unruly red hair and rubbing his eyes before once again concentrating on what he was supposed to be doing; arming himself with crucial information about an invisible enemy.

The four of them examined the folder together, Kid carefully combing over every single detail. Wire and Heat had done well, getting the main intel about Doflamingo and a few members of his gang. Kid was already aware of some of these pointers; he knew Doflamingo killed his own father – it was what had put him on the map at such a young age – and heard the rumours about him killing his little brother as well. “Nobody really knows why.” Heat said softly when Kil asked about it, passing over a photo of Doflamingo and his brother, Rosinante, dated almost 16 years ago. “Talk at the shop down South was mixed. Remember Jack from Kaido’s inner circle? He reckoned that Rosinante was going to try and takeover the family and Doflamingo found out, so had to axe him. Another person said it was probably an accident, since the information wasn’t as put out there as when Doflamingo killed his father. For that incident, he apparently boasted about offing his father to everybody who would listen, but didn’t do such a thing with his brother’s death. Others say it was a cover up, and that Rosinante might still be alive. His body wasn’t ever found.”

“So? Lotsa gangs get rid of the body.” Wire said with a shrug, turning to Killer and Kid. “You had to do that for Kaido too right? ‘Get rid of the evidence’?”

“Yeah ‘suppose so.” Killer said, setting the photo aside to check out the others. Kid picked up half, flicking through all of them. Doflamingo looked sinister in each and every single photograph. He was alone in some of them, turning directly to the camera with a nasty sneer, showing two rows of perfectly white teeth that glinted from the flash, like a shark opening its jaws to swallow up its prey. In most though, Doflamingo was with other members of his family, including the fucker that had tracked Kid down in the alleyway all those weeks ago. Kid pointed him out to his friends, grimly recounting the story to Wire and Heat.

“Why does he have so many fucking kids in this one?” Kil said, picking up a picture with Doflamingo surrounded by children. A sickening feeling curled up in Kid’s gut as he examined the small, delighted faces of the five or so children that were staring up at the camera with large grins on their chubby faces. It brought forth memories of Kid’s early days with Big Mam, back when he and Kid had joined as desperate, rebellious teenagers. Considering that most of her ‘children’ had been adopted to make up her gang, Kid had to wonder if Doflamingo had done the same thing, sitting like a fucking king in the centre of the photograph while the tiny children around him smiled up at the camera, clutching raggedy stuffed animals or torn blankets in their fists.

“I overheard that in addition to the drug trade, Doflamingo might be getting his money in other areas too.” Wire spoke up, tapping his finger on the photo. “Child trafficking. There were only a couple of photos, but you’ll notice that not all of the kids look the same in ‘em. Makes me think he was selling them off before getting some new ones, but there’s not enough solid evidence to say for sure. The children are all nameless, too.”

“That piece of shit.” Kid mumbled, gazing at the picture in anger. Innocent children huh? He could see the reoccurring theme here with gang members. Snatching up the youth with promises of a better life only to fuck them up, just like what happened with Kid and Kil. The worst fucking kind of exploitation, an action that Kid believed was on par with the agenda of the devil. It pissed Kid off that all the children in the photo were smiling brightly and sweetly at the camera, save for one small child standing right beside Doflamingo’s chair. He had his body turned to the side, fingers gripping a woolly beanie with a geometric pattern and hiding his face beneath it. There were only five photographs with the children, and while there was a turnabout in most of the kids, that same boy was in all of them. Always turned to the side. Always hiding his face with a beanie.

Kid wondered if the kid was still alive. What kind of life would that little boy have had? Was he still with the Donquixote family, or had he been carted off as a child slave like the rest of the kids had been? Poor fucking souls. Unassuming and unaware about the horrors they would have coming to them living with such a monster. No child deserved such a shitty thing happen to them. Not a damn one.

“At least we have an idea about what we’re dealing with.” Kil managed to say after a beat of silence.

“When you put it that way, it sounds like we’re back in the gang.” Kid responded with an unhappy groan, rubbing his eyes and placing the photographs back down on the table. “I don’t plan on dealing with anything.”

“Preparation is the difference between life and death,” Heat told him, taking Wire’s pack from the table and lighting up a cigarette of his own. “Like it or not, people like Doflamingo could still find you a threat even if you make yourself hoarse saying you ain’t in a gang anymore. Play it smart, Kid.”

Kid grumbled under his breath, but knew that Heat was right. Heat and Wire hadn’t been directly involved in the underworld like he and Kil had, but the men – slightly older than the both of them – had more experience with handling gang members and their business. Their wisdom was unrivalled due to proximity; flies on the walls of their respective stores where gangsters congregated at, their ears attentive to the conversations surrounding them, quietly observing the comings and goings of patrons. If he didn’t take their advice now, then it would be his own fault if things went sour for him.

Equipped with more knowledge about the enemy an hour later, the four were lounging around and talking about their plans for the week when Kid’s phone buzzed with a message. He glanced at the screen before a large smile appeared on his face at the name of the sender; _Law._ Opening up the message, his heart practically soared out of his fucking chest at the words that greeted him.

_Law: If you’re not doing anything on Christmas day, would you like to come over to my apartment for dinner? You are, of course, welcome to stay the night if you wish._

Kid’s reply was instant, fingers flying over the screen to say that yes, he’d love to spend the holiday with him and hell _yes_ he’d be spending the night. His thumb hovered over the send button, and just as he was about to impulsively let the message go, he glanced up at his three friends. They hadn’t spoken about spending Christmas together, but were they expecting to do so? Especially since this would be their first one here in the Grand Line City, and Heat and Wire were still relatively new to the area. “Hey,” Kid started saying, putting his message on hold. “Are we doing anything for Christmas this year?”

“Hm. Haven’t really thought about it.” Wire said with a shrug. “With the move keeping me busy and the weather being so cold, it doesn’t feel very much like the celebration season.”

“So would you guys hate me if I spend the night with Law?” Kid asked them.

Killer’s face quirked into an evil smirk, and he nudged Heat beside him. “That’s the one who Kid’s gone all stir-crazy for.” He muttered. Kid rolled his eyes, lightly kicking Kil in the shin.

“As if I’m the only one. You and your romantic antics with Penguin make me sick.” Kid mumbled back.

“Oh yeah? Need I remind you of your confident declaration of love about how Law’s eyes shone even more brightly than the stars you had watched together?”

Wire snorted. “Seriously? Since when were you a romantic Kid?”

Kid pointed an accusatory finger at Kil. “He was the one who suggested a picnic!” He shouted back.

“That I take full credit for. But I never said anything about star-gazing in each other’s arms.” Kil responded in a sing-song voice, leaving Heat and Wire laughing hard. Kid rolled his eyes, but puffed his chest up with conviction at his decision for his date idea all those weeks ago. He didn’t need anybody’s approval but Law’s and oh boy, had he received it. Many times, in fact. In many, flexible forms.

“We won’t hold you back from spending the day with him.” Heat finally said, addressing Kid’s previous question. “You know I don’t care to celebrate much anyhow.”

“I’ll be inviting Penguin over.” Killer said with a smile. “You two can join us for dinner, so that way you wouldn’t be alone.”

“Thanks for that,” Wire said. “I’ll be there.”

“Me too. I’m curious to meet this Penguin. I can’t help imagining the animal every time you mention his name, so I’d like to put a face to this person” Heat responded, getting a small chuckle from Kid.

“Sweet. In that case, I’ll be at Law’s if anyone needs me.” Kid said with a grin, bringing his phone out once more and proofreading his message before finally hitting the send button. Almost immediately – Law was incredibly prompt with returning Kid’s messages and calls, really only ever delaying if he was indisposed at work – Law had sent back a time for him to be there and a request not to bring anything along as he was going to be cooking.

That had Kid quirking up an eyebrow. In the time he had known Law, he had discovered that the doctor was a terrible chef. He hated cooking, expressed it as the worst chore he could ever be asked to do. On more than one occasion Kid had opened up Law’s fridge only to see it completely void of anything, including the basics of milk and eggs. That made it hard for Kid – who didn’t mind cooking all that much – to whip up a meal for the two of them after a night of sex that left them both ravenous. Law had been recently stocking up on ready-meals that only required a two minute microwave heat-up, but Kid still preferred doing his own cooking for the man. He was interested in seeing how Law – a kitchen-avoider – would manage cooking on his own for their Christmas dinner.

The one thing Kid did know was that even if Law might struggle with making dinner, he’d have no trouble with dessert. Kid swiped his tongue over his bottom lip, hungrily. All Law would have to do is strip off his clothes and lay his pretty self down on the bed, spreading apart those beautifully long legs of his.

Oh yes. Kid was sure he’d happily enjoy dessert come Christmas.

\----------

**Law’s Day  
Law's apartment  
5:32pm**

“I’ve seen many things in my lifetime Law,” Sanji said with a heavy, disappointed sigh as he leaned against the cool counter in Law’s kitchen, his calculating blue eyes drawing over every single surface of what was usually a place of sanctuary. “But this… this is truly the work of a monster.” Having been a chef for many years, the kitchen was his haven. His place of calm and peace. Of controlled experimentation. Of marvellous and exotic feasts. When Sanji was stressed, he’d be in the kitchen, cooking up a feast, allowing himself to be lost in the pleasures of chopping and pureeing and tasting and sautéing. Although he preferred his carefully crafted kitchen in the home he shared with Zoro, he could make do with anything.

Or so he thought.

It wasn’t until he laid his eyes upon the wasteland that was once Law’s beautiful kitchen did Sanji ever feel utterly ineffectual. The amenity was rarely ever used by Law, its time-pressed owner, who often neglected to fill its shelves with stock. The microwave had serviced Law well over the years, and as much as it pained Sanji to harbour the knowledge that the installed four-burner stove was overshadowed in favour for a faster meal option, he had long made his peace with it. The doctor had promised him the use of his kitchen at any time and considering how Law’s apartment building was on the prestigious side and all the appliances were in excellent quality, Sanji would overlook the issues that nagged his brain.

This however, was not something he could forgive so easily, even if it was a dear friend who was seeking penance. Law’s kitchen wasn’t a mess; it was a disaster zone. The cupboards that lined the walls had been wretched open violently, one door creaking as it hung dangerously off of its hinge. The contents of the cupboard were either askew on the shelves or dumped unceremoniously onto the counter and floor. The one time – _one time_ – Law had ever bothered to stock the shelves to the brim was coming back to bite him in the ass. _Was this what poets described as dramatic irony?_ Sanji thought to himself grimly. Droplets of water raced down the side of the broken cupboard and dripped onto the floor, courtesy of the sprinklers that had been set off when the smoke alarm was triggered by the burning coming from the stove-top and oven. Law had been baking – _trying to bake,_ Sanji thought with a clenched jaw – a nice fat chilli snapper in the oven, one of the easier recipes Sanji had given him. What the hell had Law done wrong to have it explode so wastefully inside the hot oven? And now they were paying the price with the fishy smell mixing with the horrible aroma of the burned coconut rice Law had attempted to cook alongside a very gloopy and clumpy looking concoction of what was _supposed_ to have been a hearty pot of chicken and mushroom soup. The sink was an avalanche of dirty dishes and pans, the mountainous pile seemingly holding everything that would have normally been contained in drawers. It looked as though it were about to tumble at any moment, parts of it wobbling uncertainly. The walls were coated – _how????_ – in splash-over liquid from the pots on the stove and the oil Law had used to try and help the cooking process quicken. Law fingers were glistening in the stuff, and it was a wonder how he was even able to grip his phone in a desperate attempt to call Sanji to help him.

Law was quiet, having not said a word when Sanji had appeared at his doorstep with some extra cleaning products in hand. The wipes and sprays had easily fallen from his grasp when Law slowly led him into the mess he had made in the kitchen. Sanji had cursed, turned to Law with a shocked expression on his face, and wondered how in the ever loving _fuck_ nobody had realised just how bad the doctor was in the kitchen.

The dark-haired man shuffled on his feet, his typically casual and composed demeanour lost in a sea of utter humiliation and self-loathing as he too gazed upon the sorry state of his kitchen. His face was downcast, the aura around him as gloomy as that of a thunderstorm with heavy rainfall, putting a damper on all that he had been hoping to achieve in the short time he had until the Christmas Winter Celebration Holiday. The shame of ineptitude coursed through Law’s very soul as Sanji finally peeled himself off of the counter and reached for a tray that held a yellowish looking blob. He picked it up, brought it to his nose and inhaled, curly eyebrow raising in shock. “Is this… supposed to be custard?” He asked, tentatively poking the blob. It wiggled and wobbled in the tray like jelly, but it was unlike anything Sanji had ever seen; parts were cooked perfectly, others were gushing with liquid, and there were still clumps from the powder Law must have used to make it.

Law bit his lip and looked away, frustration building up within him. ‘Bad day’ did not even scratch the surface of what he had already gone through until now. The entire week had been shit, with a mix of internal and external pressures that were keeping Law up at night more often than usual. Work stress from the hospital was at an all-time high with the approaching holidays of Christmas and the New Year. While Law was mostly able to hold his own, he seemed to have had no luck this time around. Caesar’s harassment at work was growing worse, snarls beneath his breath and whispered threats as they passed by each other in the hallway gripping Law with uncertainty and fear. At this stage, he was truly worried about bodily harm due to Caesar coming onto him in the on-call room when the two were alone, his fingers fisting into Law’s coat while he was pushed against the wall in anger by the doctor. Nothing more had happened, and Caesar had released him almost immediately, but it felt Law shaking in his boots at the vulnerability of the position, and how helpless he had felt when he froze up from the shock. Unlike most times when Caesar badgered him in annoyance, the reasoning behind the doctor’s malicious intent was as plain as day to Law; and unfortunately, it was the same reasoning as to why he couldn’t file a complaint against him right now.

Kureha was going to retire her spot. She was still going to be a doctor working intermittently, but had confessed that after over fifty-five long years of working tirelessly for hours upon end, the responsibility of her distinguished, high-standing position was taking its toll. The higher ups – those who made up the board that ran the hospital – had put out the job application out barely three days ago, and the hospital was laced in thick, choking tension as doctor turned on doctor to try and out best each other for recognition. The board – who would ultimately make a final decision after a selective interview process – did ask for Kureha’s suggestion, as she spent more time on the floor than they did, and so her word would be taken into strong consideration.

She had immediately recommended Doctor Trafalgar Law, without his knowledge. Some of the members on the board wanted to dismiss the notion immediately; Law wasn’t even in his thirties, surely he wouldn’t have had enough experiences to allow him to keep such a highly stressful position? But Kureha was firm in her advocating of Law, and so he was now under the vigilant scrutiny of one of the board members whenever he was working; that asshole Vegapunk hadn’t been a proper ‘doctor’ in years, and Law loathed to call him by that title, but he had no choice but the bite his tongue as the other silently made notes on his performance and shadowed him everywhere he went. It was no secret that Vegapunk favoured another for the promotion, the man having voiced it many times to Law; he wanted Caesar in Kureha’s old spot, the two corrupt pieces of shit having bonded closely in their years working at the hospital, where they discovered that their medical and not-completely-ethical experimental interests aligned well. Law knew that any complaint he’d file right now would most likely be dismissed by Vegapunk. He wouldn’t be surprised if the older doctor would try and accuse him of making up the on-call room situation just to try and keep Caesar out of the running. The two were cut from the same depraved, disgusting cloth, and Law felt as though he had to watch his back twice as hard with Caesar casting daggers at him and Vegapunk breathing down his neck while waiting for him to fuck up.

Caesar’s reaction to Kureha’s recommendation of Law had consequently opened a flood-gate of deep-rooted hatred and mirth, made worse by the fact that Caesar had been figuratively trying to kiss the ass of Kureha and the higher ups for a raise in his position. The hospital was slowly becoming less of a safe space for Law, and the pressures he was faced with had finally tipped him over the edge, accumulating into a gripping panic attack smack-bang in the middle of his shift. He thanked his lucky stars that he had managed to be in his office at the time, hastily locking the door and sliding onto the ground, trying to stifle his panicked broken gasps for air with his hand so that nobody would hear him from the outside. His chest felt like it had been squeezed so tightly, like an iron fist was crushing all of his organs, leaving him unable to take a breath. Tears had sprouted from his eyes, dripping down his face, the saltiness of them coating his tongue as he panted and shook and sobbed. When it was over, Law had been tempted to call for Chopper and tell him what was going on, since Chopper had been the one who comforted him when the attacks frequented him at university and med school, but had changed his mind when he saw how the younger doctor was equally as tired from the back-breaking, unforgiving hospital shifts. Chopper looked like the walking dead, eyes all dark and gloomy like Law’s was as he rushed around the hospital like a chook with its head cut off. Not only that, but the thought of admitting aloud that he was starting to suffer panics again made Law feel even _more_ anxious, so he kept it to himself despite knowing how unwise that decision was. Overall, Law started to dread having to go into the work he loved so much. He wanted nothing more than to just ignore his pager and timetabled hours and call in sick for a few days so that he could simply rest and be away from those who were bothering him at the hospital.

Unfortunately for Law, those negative thoughts began to plague his mind, starting a domino effect of self-hatred. He felt guilty, because not wanting to go into work for his own selfish reasons when he was being given an opportunity to climb the promotional ladder made him seem unthankful for his job, which he did love so very much. He would mentally reprimand himself, and feel his throat tighten at the repeated thought of _“what would mother and father think of me for throwing it all away so easily after all they did to help me?”_

Not only that, a patient that had been doing wonderfully during post-operation for a coronary triple bypass ended up septic and crashed a few nights ago when Law had been in his final hour of his eighteen-hour shift. It was of no fault of his own, as the risk had been prevalent even before the surgery since the patient had had one before and was an older gentlemen with a terribly weak system in the first place, but Law still had to attend a morbidity and mortality conference to assess his competence as a surgeon and decide whether or not he was to blame for the death. He hadn’t been declared at fault, but the process had taken a toll on Law, who was reminded just how fragile life could be and how death was imminent, no matter how many lives he had saved in the past.

Having taken a couple of days of leave and organising his schedule so that he wouldn’t have to work on Christmas day, Law finally thought he could distract himself by preparing for his confession to Kid about being ready to take the next step in their relationship. It had been pushed aside with all of his work stresses, but he hadn’t forgotten his plan. He wanted to surprise his almost-boyfriend, sweep him off of his feet just as Kid had done to him during their first date by indulging him with good food, and spoiling him rotten with a sensual oil massage. He also had plans for the bedroom too, and they involved testing the waters by experimenting with something that had been on Kid’s ‘yes’ list that Law hadn’t really considered before. He was both excited and motivated, had gone ahead and purchased beautiful scented oils and candles for the massage and a fuckton of ingredients for his kitchen so he could start practising his cooking. Kid was a lot like Luffy in the sense that he ate every meal as though it were his last, and could pack away more food than should be physically possible, so Law figured he’d make a bunch of different things that he knew Kid liked and impress him despite having confessed he didn’t spend much time in the kitchen at all. Kid had even joked once – when Law had made him a simple breakfast of burnt eggs and equally burnt toast with no butter because it had gone mouldy in the fridge from expiration – that if they ever lived together he’d do all the cooking since Law was a pretty much a walking hazard. Law had been too absorbed with the fact that Kid seemed to think about the two of them _living together,_ because that meant Kid truly did see Law as a long-term relationship. Law had practically jumped his bones, happily forgetting everything else about the conversation, including Kid’s suggestion of Law never needing to feel obligated to cook for him again.

Law figured it wouldn’t be too hard. He was a multitasker at work and was capable of following a recipe or two. He was confident that he’d be fine. How hard could chopping up some vegetables and combining things in a pot be? With that thought in mind, he had sent Kid a text inviting him over for Christmas, and got started the second he got the affirmative response back.

As it turned out, a lot could go wrong in the span of a few hours when the equation was Law-plus-kitchen, and he instantly regretted ever having the idea of magically being able to cook in the first place. He was so frustrated, nothing right from the get-go. He didn’t have the correct utensils, for one, and so was sure that all of his measurements were incorrect and completely off. He had cried when chopping up the onions and then accidentally wiped his eyes with the fingers he was using to _hold_ said onions down, leaving him virtually blind and banging into every single surface of his kitchen. The chicken and mushroom soup on the stove had bubbled like a viscous potion in a witch’s cauldron as Law was washing his face, and was splattering against his the clean white walls that were shining from olive oil. And the worst part was, Law had forgotten that in the midst of all this other shit going on, that he had left a fish in the oven, yelping in surprise when it randomly exploded and started to let out smoke. The detectors had thankfully gone off, but that meant that he was left drenched in the water that erupted from the kitchen sprinkler safety system. He had panicked at the suddenness of it all and ended up slipping, crashing face-first onto the cupboard doors which he had – stupidly – left open for speed’s sake, leading to breaking the door and uprooting everything that was inside. Dripping wet, full of crushing shame, head aching and eyes red with onion tears, Law threw in the towel and called for assistance. Through unshed tears of frustration, he dialled Sanji’s number. He wanted to vent to someone that wasn’t as close to him as Chopper or Zoro were since Law knew they would try to pressure him into seeking help instead of just listening to him talk, and he also needed severe advice on how to clean up his destroyed kitchen and if anyone could do that, it would be self-proclaimed love cook himself.

“Hey come on, it’s alright.” Sanji said softly after having noticed Law’s look of doom, dragging the man out of his negative thoughts and setting the tray he had been holding back onto the counter. “We’ll get this cleaned up in no time alright?”

“What’s the point?” Law finally spoke up, shaking his head. “I can’t cook, and Christmas is in five days. I’ve already failed at giving him this gift, and it’s too late to go buy him something that’ll just be impersonal anyway.”

Sanji’s curled eyebrow raised, and he put his hands gently on Law’s slumped shoulders. “I think that your boyfriend will be happy you even tried to do something romantic like this for him Law.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” Was Law’s automatic response, said so in a monotone voice that was laced with defeat.

“Not your boyfriend _yet.”_ Sanji supplied optimistically.

“And he never will be. I’m a screw-up at anything that doesn’t involve cutting people up.”

Sanji sighed, not wishing to play the game of ‘how morbid can Law get’ at the moment. Though he already knew the answer to that was, obviously, _very._ “You’re not a screw-up Law. You just came across a few speed humps on an already bumpy road.”

Law snorted, crossing his arms and glaring at his kitchen, bottom lip trembling anew at the sight. “What am I going to do?” He asked, more to himself than to Sanji, the question holding the weight of so many of the issues he was facing.

“Why don’t we get to cleaning everything up first, and then I’ll make us a hot chocolate and we can talk? Does that sound like a good idea to you?” He suggested, speaking slowly. He knew Law didn’t appreciate being spoken to as if he were a helpless child that needed assistance, but with how utterly lost and defeated he was looking right now, Sanji figured he should be taking charge for the time being.

Law didn’t respond but nodded. Sanji asked him to get some garbage bags and fill a container with warm water before rolling up his sleeves and getting to work. Law joined him, moping around like a lost puppy as he listened to Sanji’s instructions to clean up the oven and stove-top. Had Law been in a better mood, Sanji would have been joking around about the state of the kitchen; instead, he was resigned to working quietly since Law was hardly talking to him at all, lost in his worry-filled mind as he robotically wiped and scrubbed away.

The mess looked worse than it actually was, and with Sanji and Law’s combined efforts the place was practically sparkling within half an hour. The only real damage was the cupboard door, as the hinge was snapped and there was no way to reattach it. Law and Sanji decided to remove it all together, being mindful of splinters, and Law mumbling that he’d look for a replacement later. Now, curled up on the couch with a mug of Sanji’s warm hot chocolate, Law was feeling clear-headed and more talkative.

“I’m sorry for making you clean with me.” He started saying, taking a sip. He wasn’t the biggest fan of hot chocolate, but Sanji’s recipe was magical, just like all things he touched were. It was rich and creamy, with a hint of cacao to make it faintly bitter, which was just the way Law enjoyed his warm beverages.

“It’s fine. You wouldn’t have survived without me.” Sanji said lightly, lounging on the same couch, an unlit cigarette between his fingers. He drew the stick up to his mouth, quirking an eyebrow at Law to ask for permission to light up, and started to do so when he got a nod of approval. He sucked in, letting the first hits of the nicotine enter his system. “Now, I’ve gotta ask. Was it just the cooking that was bothering you? Or is there something else? Because you look like you haven’t slept in days, and that’s saying _a lot._ ”

“…Work stress. My insomnia has gotten worse as of late because of the hospital.” Law admitted, watching the twisting smoke coming from the cigarette. “I’ve been put up for a promotion by Doctor Kureha and so my work has been scrutinised every day by snooty superiors who haven’t practised medicine in years.”

“A promotion is great though Law!” Sanji said, blue eyes sparkling. “Of course the stress sucks, I completely understand that part. But don’t you think it’ll all be worth it if you get it?”

“Yes, but…” Law bit his lip. Is it worth putting up with Caesar’s malice and harassment? Is it worth feeling like he had fingers crushing his throat and preventing him from breathing? Gasping for fucking air like a fish out of water? Law ended up clearing his throat, setting his mug of hot chocolate down and reaching for Sanji’s cigarette. “Never mind. You’re right. It’s an honour.” The cook frowned, unsure of how to take Law’s dismissive words before passing the requested cigarette on. Law sucked it deep, falling into the controlled breathing that occurred when one smoked. Terrible habit, he knew. He was a doctor after all. He had smoked a fair bit after he had moved to the city, but now he only indulged sporadically, or on special occasions. He figured he had plenty of excuses to allow himself just a cigarette this one time.

“Do you not want the promotion? Is that why you’re stressed out?” Sanji asked him.

“I do want it.” Law replied, taking another suck of the cigarette before passing it back to Sanji. “And I’m sure it’s contributing to my stress. But what just happened in there,” Law said, jutting his chin out to the direction of the kitchen. “Is the main factor right now. What am I going to do Sanji? I don’t want to just order take out, plus most places would be closed for Christmas. I can’t go to the store and buy him a gift since I’m working every day until Christmas day, and I do have a gift to give him but I’m so worried he won’t like it.” Law rambled on. “I got him a book. For fuck’s sake, he’s never expressed an interest in reading, why the hell did I do that Sanji?”

Sanji smiled gently, lightly shaking his head. “Law, you’re overthinking everything. But that’s normal. Not just because you tend to do that anyway, but because that’s how it is with budding relationships.”

Law frowned. “I’ve been in a long-term relationship before, but I didn’t feel this way when I was in it. When Smoker and I celebrated Christmas, there was none of this malarkey. So why is it different?”

Sanji hummed knowingly, putting out his cigarette butt on the ashtray on the table next to the couch. Oh yes, he was very well aware of Law’s confusing feelings because he himself had had them for Zoro. When they had first started their own relationship, Sanji had second-guessed so many of his choices with the very same thoughts that were plaguing Law’s mind. “Maybe it’s because Kid’s one of a kind?” Sanji said, trying to guide Law into understanding his own feelings.

That comment had Law glancing away, chewing his bottom lip again. “Perhaps.” He muttered. “I don’t know. I’ve never been good at this kind of stuff before.”

Curiosity piqued, Sanji contemplated asking Law a little bit more about what he meant by that. It wasn’t every day the typically private doctor was so forthcoming with the inner workings of his mind, especially about his past. As far as Sanji knew – and Zoro, based on the conversations they had had– Law’s lack of engagement with the outside world was due to being home-schooled in his home town in North. He had said that his carers – never used the word ‘parents’ – were quite strict, and so he barely left the home and only interacted with them and his adopted siblings. It explained to Sanji why – when he first met the studious doctor-in-training – he had been incredibly socially awkward and jumpy when around too many new people. The one surprising thing about Law to Sanji back in the earlier days was the fact that someone like him – brought up in an ‘authoritarian, old-fashioned household’, according to Law – knew so fucking much about sex and seemed to have excessive experience despite not ever leaving his house. He dismissed it as an exaggeration, because surely nobody could live completely closed-off from the world, correct?

Deciding to push a little, Sanji licked his lips and lit another cigarette, dainty fingers passing it on to Law. “It’s all experience Law, which you’re building up slowly with Kid. If it’s any consolation, he really does like you, so I don’t think he’s going to judge your lack of cooking skills or gift too harshly.” He said. “Hey, have you spoken to your carers back home? They might have some good advice to help you out, if you think mine isn’t good enough.”

The ice that filled Law’s eyes made Sanji regret ever asking. “Absolutely not.” Law practically hissed, fingers tightening on the bottom of the cigarette. Thin paper crushed in-between the hold. “Please don’t mention them again. We do not speak, and that’s how I prefer it. Plus, I don’t want them knowing about Eustass-ya at all, or any of my relationships or friendships.” Sanji’s eyes widened, and Law realised that he had slowly and unknowingly been raising his voice. Clearing his throat and sucking in a deep breath, Law glanced apologetically back to Sanji. “I’m sorry. It’s just that… they’re very strict.”

“I understand.” Sanji responded softly. “My father was strict to. Still is.”

Passing the cigarette back, Law berated himself internally. He had been sitting here whining like a child to Sanji whilst overlooking the fact that the blonde was dealing with issues of his own that were far more important to him than Law’s simple problems. For the first time in years, Sanji was going to be returning home for the holidays – unfortunately, not under the best circumstances. Sanji’s mother was sick, her weak auto-immune system succumbing to a nasty bout of illness. After a holiday to the tropics with her husband, Sanji’s mother had been bitten by a bug and her body instantly fell victim to whatever poison had been injected into her system from it. In addition, she picked up pneumonia from the drastic change of warm weather into cold whilst battling an infection from the bug bite, thus leaving Sanji’s mother bedridden and suffering for weeks despite the many private doctors that her rich husband Judge was providing for her. The road to recovery for Sanji’s mother was rocky and steep, and the outcomes that the doctors were voicing did not bode well. “How is your mother doing?” Law asked softly. Sanji had come to him a few weeks ago to ask for advice after his sister, Reiju, called him in a panic about the doctor telling her that he couldn’t prescribe anything for the bug-bite since he had no clue as to what insect it could be. Law was able to solve the issue by doing some investigating on his computer at work, recommending that Sanji tell Reiju to release that incompetent doctor for missing the most basic of signs, before telling him what medication his mother needed to feel better.

Sanji shrugged at Law’s question, taking a long drag before speaking again. “Reiju says the bug-bite swelling has finally gone down, but the fevers aren’t stopping. Her system hasn’t ever been strong, but now in her older age…” Sanji took a shaky breath. “And the fact that she had quadruplets… that took a lot out of her.”

“And that’s not your fault.” Law said firmly. It was a rarity, bearing four children at the same time, but it had happened to the Vinsmokes. Sanji was one of the four children, and Law knew that he often blamed himself for the fact that she got sick more than ever after giving birth to him and his brothers. “She’s fighting, and that’s what counts.” Law said supportively, standing from his spot on the couch and reaching for the drawer in his coffee table. He produced an emergency medical bag – having a few stashed in various parts of his apartment just in case – and took out an empty pill dispenser and some filled bottles of medication. He separated a few of them into the dispenser under the appropriate date. “When you go to her, see if these help. The blue pills should be taken once a day with food. It’s a stronger paracetamol for fever, pain, and nausea, and shouldn’t react badly with whatever medication her doctors are giving her. The orange gummies are vitamins, can be taken twice a day, after six hours. They’ll help with strengthening her immune system. The white ones are an extra boost; she can take that with the gummies. Make sure she drinks at least two litres of water a day, and nothing too heavy on her stomach in terms of food. Monitor the fever, and keep her as cool as you can with a wet cloth.” Law told him, handing over the pill dispenser.

Sanji pocketed the dispenser, reaching to Law for a quick embrace. Law awkwardly tapped Sanji’s back while the other squeezed him tightly for a moment before settling back on the couch. “Thank you. I have more hope with your input on things. You’re a great doctor after all.”

Law blushed, putting his bag away quietly. “It’s fine. I wish her the best in her recovery. Is Reiju still overseeing her, or have your brothers finally pulled their weight around?”

“Zoro told you about them didn’t he?” Sanji said with a grimace, not blaming his boyfriend whatsoever for ranting about the blonde’s fellow quadruplet brothers Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji. “They’re still fucking around, not taking any of this seriously. Reiju told me that Niji had the fucking nerve to say if mother dies then that’s just nature’s way of saying it was her time and that he’d get over it. She told me that she beat him hard, and if it hadn’t been for father holding her back she was sure she was actually going to fucking end that bastard’s life. Fuck, I hate my brothers so much. I’m not looking forward to seeing them at all. Or father for that matter.”

“At least you’ll have Zoro with you.” Law tried to say supportively.

“Sure. Bringing my boyfriend to meet my violently homophobic father and brothers is a _great_ idea. That isn’t going to make for awkward dinner conversation at all.” Sanji quipped sarcastically. “If it wasn’t for the fact that my mother thinks she’s on her deathbed, I wouldn’t be visiting.”

“You’ll be staying in the same house as them?”

“Fuck no, Zoro and I have booked a hotel down the road otherwise I swear that there’ll be a Second War of the Best. My only reason for being in that house will be for my mother and my sister. You know I had to calm Zoro down once because I had Reiju on speaker and Yonji snatched the phone from her to say he was going to – and I fucking quote – ‘set Zoro straight’ by ‘beating the queer out of him’, especially if he does any ‘disgusting gay shit’ in front of him.” Sanji’s fingers visibly shook as he smoked, more quickly now that he was getting worked up. “Fuck. I hate them.”

“They’re horrible.” Law mumbled, reaching out to squeeze Sanji’s thigh. “Just remember that you have support here okay? And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call for some help. I’ll be here.”

“Thanks. That, and knowing that I’ll have Zoro with me are the only reasons why I’m still fucking sane. Though I’m not looking forward to the trip at all.” Sanji told him. “I’d have offered to help you with your cooking for Christmas if it wasn’t for the fact that we’re leaving in two days. Six hours on a train is going to fucking make me all irritable. Still there’s hope yet. Want me to help you in the kitchen for a bit and show you the easiest kinds of food you can cook for Kid on Christmas?”

“I can’t ask you to do that when you’ve got so much on your plate already Sanji-” Law was interrupted when Sanji’s hand lifted up in a ‘stop’ motion.

“I’m all antsy from talking about my stupid family. Cooking will relax me, and if it’ll give you some pointers then it’s a win-win.” Sanji said firmly, ridding himself of the cigarette and standing up. “Think you can keep up?”

“I’ll try.” Law said, also rising from his seat. Reaching for his discarded mug of hot chocolate, Law drained the rest of it in one large gulp before following Sanji into the kitchen, both looking forward to and dreading the upcoming Christmas day…


	13. A very special Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not for the first time had either of them felt the same thing without needing to say it; this felt _right._ Being together, their bodies melted into one, as though it had been written in the stars before either of them had been born that they were supposed to have found each other. A destiny fulfilling prophecy. Pure, mindless, connected pleasure. Souls entwined in red, twisting, unbreakable thread.
> 
> A match made in Mariejois heaven, their coupling blessed by the lords above.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man! It's still way early for season's greetings but woohoo a holiday chapter! And up on time! (That might not be the case for next week, so apologies in advance if the next chapter is up late; it's very busy with work and study rn uwu).
> 
> Thank you again for the kind comments and the kudos~ I hope you enjoy the chapter!
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 13: Male/male smut, bareback fucking, anal sex, sex toys, buttplug, clothing kink, sexy clothing, semi-rough/semi-light sex, bite marks, belly bulge, swearing.

**25th December, 2019**

**Law’s Apartment, Grand Line City**

**5:45pm**

** Seven months remaining. **

The preparation for the long-awaited Christmas dinner for himself and Kid hadn’t been as horrible an experience as Law had thought it would be. His ability to amplify worse-case scenarios in his overacting mind was pointed out to Law by Sanji, who had stayed back a few hours helping the doctor in the kitchen with prep and instruction. Law found himself a lot calmer, all credit going to Sanji’s watered-down, simple recipes and his gentle guidance while he walked him through the steps to making as much of a mouth-watering meal as he could ever muster. The chef had written down some of his basic recipes and instructions after overseeing Law practise himself earlier in the week, and while Law was proud not to have left complete destruction in his wake this time, he still ended up burning the bottom of the rice in the pot and accidentally cutting his finger while slicing up tomatoes for salad. Law was positive that he managed to fuck up the spicing or the measurements of some of the ingredients since he was still quite nervous, but he allowed himself that concession since it was a wondrous miracle he was cooking in the first place. Plus, since he had emerged victorious overall in the battle against his kitchen, he was swimming in confidence. There wasn’t so much as a smear on the counters, as he took on Sanji’s directive to keep his workstation as clean as possible since that was half the job done.

Sanji’s final parting advice before he had left to continue packing his bags with Zoro for their impending trip up to Germa had also given Law peace of mind. Sanji _was_ right; if Kid was really serious about Law, he wouldn’t be ending things over a botched dinner. He wouldn’t have even stayed this long. If sex was what he had wanted, Law had willingly gifted that to him on their first meeting, so it would make no sense whatsoever for the red-head to reject him now unless he truly was some heartless bastard. Before leaving, Sanji had given him another hug – which Law had returned by awkwardly tapping the other on the back – before the doctor wished he and Zoro a safe trip for their holiday visit to Sanji’s home.

Now that phase one of Law’s gift was warming in the oven and on the stove, he checked the time on his watch and got to prepping stages two and three before Kid was due to come over in just under an hour.

After his freak out about the book gift that Law had purchased the week prior, he had been able to take a step back, breathe deeply, and clear his head long enough to realise that it wasn’t a bad present at all. And it had been thoughtful. It wasn’t just a random book that Law had plucked off the shelf without a care in the world; it was an autobiography of a sports player that Kid really admired. While Law wasn’t invested in keeping up with local or international sporting news, it was playing frequently on his television whenever Kid was around his apartment, the other having a fierce love for all kinds of sports. Law would sit and mindlessly watch with him, regardless of whether or not he understood whatever the fuck was going on as teams fought over scoring baskets or goals. He was just happy to be curled up in the warm embrace of his lover, basking in the intimacy of Kid’s closeness while the other commentated and chatted about this play or that. Law found that he liked seeing Kid so passionate like this; his eyes that were already like burning, beautiful flames would sparkle even further, and Law would feel his positive, excited energy seeping into his own skin.

Yes, the present would be fine, but Law still ended up purchasing something extra just in case it wasn’t good enough for Kid. The man treated him so preciously, like Law was made of the finest glass in the world; Law had to show him that he felt the same, and held him in high regard too. Slipped into the cover of the book before Law had neatly wrapped it up in holiday themed paper were two courtside tickets to Kid’s favourite basketball team and their upcoming game. Curling ribbon into a bow on top of the wrapped book, Law let out a sigh of relief as he set it underneath the undecorated, plastic tree in his apartment, right next to the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out into the street. It was far too difficult to get a live tree up to his home, so Law was happy to settle for an easy-to-assemble, synthetic imitation that could fit neatly into his storage cupboard when not in use. Kid had requested they decorated the tree together, so Law had left it bare, with the box of glittery ornaments and tinsel beside it.

 _Phase two done._ Law thought. Part of that gift also included a massage, the scented oils slipped into a decorative bag next to the book. He couldn’t wait for that one himself, personally. There was something utterly satisfying to Law about imaging Kid coming undone because of his touch. To have such a powerful, strong man moaning and writhing because of him threatened to leave Law dizzy and light-headed. Law knew that his power was in his fingers; he was talented with them, used them for precise surgery almost daily, so his massage would no doubt bring great pleasure to Kid, and be an enjoyable experience on the whole for the both of them. Law nodded to himself, glancing at his watch again nervously, the need to look and check the time almost a compulsion with how frequently he did so. Half an hour until Kid was due to come. Time for phase three.

Reaching to the hem of his shirt, Law brought it up and over his head as he made his way to the bathroom. He had left some clean clothes in there earlier, the garments hanging on the towel rack besides his shower. He shucked off his pants and underwear before stepping under the warm spray, washing his body quickly and thoroughly with coconut-cream scented soap. He bit his lip as he slipped his wet fingers inside his hole, leaning against the wall as he lightly worked himself open. Law already knew where his night with Kid was going to end – well, where he hoped it would end, anyway – and wanted to make sure he was ready since it had been a while since they had been able to enjoy each other in that way. Christmas was Law’s first day off in a long time, and he and Kid’s schedules these days had been unfortunately unsynchronised, so he was very much looking forward to all kinds of intimacy tonight.

Once clean and dried off, Law reached for his new clothing with shaky fingers. He had – embarrassingly – called the assistance of Nami when the idea came to him during his phone call with a drunken Kid. She had been all shades of smug as she met up with Law at the large shopping centre in the city and gripped his arm tightly while dragging him into a fancy looking lingerie shop that would, as Nami put it with absolutely no shame whatsoever, ‘do the trick to get that dick’. While he had appreciated the help since he would never in a million years set foot in a place like that alone, he did _not_ felt the same way about Nami asking him with a cheeky grin to model some of the garments she had picked out for him. Eventually, he had decided on a bright red lacy number with pearl white stockings and red suspenders and garters. Law hadn’t expected the hosiery to be so soft, though it had felt strange to run a hand up his leg and not touch his own skin. The lace was itchy, but not to the point of irritation; just enough for Law to feel it there, Now _that_ wasn’t ideal because if he felt it he thought about it, and if he dwelled too long on that, the more fucking turned on he’d be. Nami – approving of the choice – had insisted on paying for it as a Christmas gift, playfully poking Law in his side and requesting – ahem, _ordering_ – the man to give her all the details the next time they met.

Slipping into the underwear and stockings felt oddly like a second skin. The back of the panties were cut diagonally across Law’s supple asscheeks, the sides of the garment very thin and the front riding low and resting at the bottom of his treasure trail, leaving little to the imagination. His dick and balls could barely fit inside, so Law had to make some adjustments to ensure it would all stay where it was supposed to without causing him discomfort. He fixed the suspenders to the garter of the stockings after he slid them up his long, lithe legs.

Pushing the back of his underwear down enough to expose his crack, Law reached for the main attraction of his raunchy costume; his medium-sized, coned, buttplug. It had been washed and cleaned earlier that day, and so was now dry and ready for Law’s use. Taking the bottle of lube he kept in the bathroom – and goodness he had needed to keep an extra one here, considering how many times Kid had accosted him in the shower – Law slathered the transparent liquid over his fingers and the plug. He whimpered as he once again brought his fingers back to his ass, his hole easily taking in two of them since he had prepared in the shower moments ago. Pressing inside, Law tried to avoid his most sensitive zone as he scissored and spread his fingers within him, chewing his bottom lip and watching his face grow red with lust in the bathroom mirror. They had fucked in this position once, Law recalled. Law pressed against the bathroom sink, Kid’s large body covering his back, his thick cock nestled deep inside of Law’s ass. Kid’s strong fingers had gripped the bottom of Law’s goateed chin, turning his head so that his glassy, blissed-out gaze was directly staring into the mirror, watching himself be fucked on that glorious, pleasure-filled cock. Kid had been nuzzling into his neck, licking and nibbling up the side, eyes also boring into the reflection, smoky and steamy. Law whimpered, feeling his cock stirring against the lace as he pulled his fingers out. _Perhaps this is a bad idea._ Law thought to himself. He was already growing hard. He could just go with the underwear, the plug wasn’t necessary; just a fun afterthought.

Debating with himself, Law had to make a decision quickly when the bell to his apartment chimed. Eyes widening, Law realised he was out of time, having spent far too long lost in delightful memories of he and Kid. “J-just a minute!” Law called out, hopefully loud enough for Kid to hear. Deciding to go with his gut, and knowing exactly what he and Kid would like, Law quickly poured more lube on the plug and reached behind to insert it into his ass. He held back a moan as the medium-sized plug slid inside, Law’s fingers pressing against the silver jewelled base once it was fully sheathed, his tight asshole clenching around it firmly. Readjusting his underwear, Law rushed to wash his hands and put on his clean clothes, consisting of nicely pressed pants and a blue button-up, collared shirt. Stashing the lube away, Law hurriedly made his way to the front door, the plug shifting with the movement, feeling terrific pressed inside him so deeply. It wasn’t long enough to reach his prostate, but it was quite thick and bulbous. Law knew that with certain wiggles of his hips, it might brush teasingly against that sensitive bundle of nerves that caused him immense pleasure, so he had to be careful not to make any sudden movements.

Slipping his feet into closed shoes so that Kid wouldn’t notice the socked end of his stocking, Law opened the door and was greeted with a grinning, elated Kid. He was bundled up in a thick, warm-looking winter coat and scarf, and had he not been holding so many things Law would have grabbed him by the lapels and kissed his damned handsome face hello because he had fucking missed him these past few days. Instead, he offered to grab the plastic bags that were threatening to slip of Kid’s fingers. The man’s nails were decorated a festive candy red today, very different from his usual deep maroon preference. His lips were also painted too, the dark brown colour contrasting against his pale skin. Tucked under one arm were a few poorly wrapped boxes and in his other hand he balanced a covered tray with a see-through glass covering. Kid had insisted on bringing dessert after hearing Law was going to take care of dinner, and so had brought along a cinnamon apple pie from a close-by patisserie before arriving. “Hey beautiful.” Kid said, entering the apartment and lightly kicking the door shut behind him. He sniffed the air, eyes widening. “Merry Christmas. Damn, smells great in here.”

“Merry Christmas to you too. Food’s just about done,” Law told him, offering a gentle smile to the red-head and leading him into the kitchen so they could put down the bags. _Beautiful, again. Always beautiful to Kid._ He could still hardly believe that someone viewed him in such a way. He wondered too, whether or not being constantly praised by Kid was becoming a kink; he was always so flustered and pink in the face from the compliments, and when lost in Kid’s embrace Law allowed himself to believe that they were true.

Kid carefully placed the tray with the apple pie on the counter, excusing himself for a moment to put his presents underneath the still-undecorated tree. He appeared back in the kitchen after taking off his coat and scarf and hanging them up on the hook behind the front door, rubbing his hands together and blowing into them before draping himself over Law’s back and holding him tight. “Fucking freezing out there.” Kid said, placing a chaste kiss on Law’s cheek. “Lucky I got you here to keep me warm.”

Law huffed, his face reddening as he unpacked the items Kid had brought with him from the bag. He presumed the can of whipped cream and the tub of ice-cream were for the apple pie, and that the various packaged decorations were for the tree. “I should have gotten you gloves as your present. I can feel the chill from your fingers through my shirt.” Law told him, leaning back into the other’s chest. Kid’s crotch was right above Law’s ass, so close to where the plug was stretching him open. He couldn’t wait to see Kid’s reaction when he finally pulled down Law’s pants and saw his underwear and the toy inside him-

 _Not now._ Law chastised himself, lamenting when Kid’s arms slid from around him to help pack the ice-cream into the freezer.

“Winter in December, man, that’s weird as shit.” Kid mused.

“Yes, the seasonal differences must be difficult to adjust to coming from so far away.” Law hummed. “The weather in the North is similar to here, except that winter starts earlier and it snows much more. Do you not get snow in the South Line?”

“Not a lick of it.” Kid said, perking up at the mention of snow. “There’s one place that you might be able to catch a glimpse of the stuff, but it’s not common. It’s weird to have Christmas in such cold weather. I’d usually be sharing a beer with Kil on the beach right now.”

“I’d love to visit a South Line beach.” Law commented, wondering if one day a trip with Kid was in the cards for his future. “The seas always look so blue. Is it always terribly hot this time of year where you’re from?”

“Nah, we get cool breezes too, and some nasty rain and thunderstorms. A summer thunderstorm is more violent than a winter one, I’ve noticed.” Kid said with a shrug. “You ever visited down South?”

“No, but I’d like to one day. The cold is nice, but can get unpleasant after living with it for so long.”

“I’d like to go to the North and see the snow.” Kid responded, playfulness in his eyes. “I want to roll around in it, it looks so fucking soft. Like a cloud.”

Law laughed lightly, taking Kid’s hand and the bag of decorations to lead him to the living room. “If you don’t mind getting wet then sure, you can roll around in it to your heart’s content.”

“Darlin’ you know by now that I most _definitely_ don’t have a problem getting wet, especially around you.” Kid teased. Law gripped his hand tightly, heart pounding in his chest as he was once again left at a loss for words. His cock practically jolted in his pants, and he walked more slowly so that he wouldn’t be as acutely aware of the plug pressing against his walls.

“Do you have some sort of rolodex in your head for pick-up lines? How do you come up with this stuff so easily?” Law asked, amused.

“Dunno. Had some practise in the past I guess? It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone on the regular like you.”

Law wasn’t expecting the strong pang of jealousy that gripped him at Kid’s nonchalant revelation. He wasn’t an idiot to think someone as ruggedly handsome as Kid had been single all his life – after all Law hadn’t been so it would be completely hypocritical to hold that against him – but just thinking of the man he had come to adore these past few months sweet-talking another left him seeing green. “I see.” Law said, tight-lipped as he let go of Kid’s hand and bent down carefully to pick up his box of decorations. Jealousy, goodness. It was an ugly look for him. He hated the fact that he felt so envious over Kid’s past relationships, especially since he and Kid hadn’t even known each other until a few months ago.

Kid must have noticed the change in Law’s expression, grabbing the box off of him and setting it aside for the time being. “Did I say something wrong?” He asked, his voice harbouring a hint of worry.

Law shook his head, reaching up to cup Kid’s cheek. He got on his toes and pressed a soft kiss against the other’s lips. They stayed together for a moment, kissing sweetly and gently and slowly until Law pulled back, red-faced. “You didn’t.” He told him. “I just don’t like thinking about you with other men.”

Kid smiled down on him, kissing his forehead. “The feeling is mutual.” After a moment of perfect silence where the two comfortably held each other in front of the window next to the tree, Kid’s smile transformed into a smirk. “Were you jealous?” He asked. “’Cause that makes me feel all kinds of special.”

Law rolled his eyes, giving Kid a light smack across his upper arm. “I wasn’t.” He said quickly. “Let’s decorate the tree so we can eat.”

Decorating the tree had been such a fun activity to a young Law, before his life had turned to shit. The Winter Holidays in the Grand Line City could not hold a candle up to the festivities of the North, where the coming of winter was a sacred celebration unlike any other. Twinkling lights and lanterns, colourful banners, outdoor festivals, bright fireworks decorating the sky… child-Law had _loved_ every second of it. He remembered how his father would heft him up over his shoulders, holding onto Law’s legs tightly as they walked through the crowded roads, bundled up in warm clothing his mother had knitted him while they perused the mouth-watering street food trucks that were scattered about. When Lami was old enough, Law would take her hand in his small one and lead her around, pointing out the various games and activities, comforting her when she became scared of the loud fireworks. Such fond memories of an easier time that seemed an eternity ago.

There were not-so-fond ones, too. Doflamingo had wanted Christmas celebrations at home to be a spectacle, and the Donquixote family was expected to attend the feast unless they were under explicit orders from the man himself to be working. He’d hire the best chefs, world-renowned, paying them handsomely to cook all day and night before gathering everybody around in the dining room. He’d lounge back in his seat at the head of the table, swirling a glass of wine while he watched his family eat and laugh and talk. The ornately decorated Christmas tree – a real one, smelling strongly of pine – was placed next to a crackling fireplace in the living room, with presents underneath for all the children in the home. Law had been shy to sit at the table with the others for his first Christmas in that home. It would be the first time too, since he lost his family, that he’d be ‘celebrating’. So, Doflamingo would take Law’s hand and set him up in his lap on the chair, sharing the food from his plate and letting him taste a sip of the wine. Law couldn’t believe today how once upon a time, he had been comforted by the closeness the other had provided him; he had craved it, even, whenever a holiday celebration occurred, to the point where Law would instinctively go to Doflamingo’s chair instead of waiting for the other to notice his bashfulness and beckon him forward. After… Cora… the celebrations came to an abrupt end for Law, even if they were ongoing in the Donquixote home. Not that he could celebrate, even if he wanted to. Not with Doflamingo clinging to him and breathing down his neck at every minute of the day.

Luffy had reintroduced him to the wonders of Christmas in Law’s first year at university. He hadn’t planned nor wanted to do anything, especially as his anxiety was at its peak. He was terribly awkward, even towards his roommate Chopper, and would be easily panicked when around so many people. Still, he had been welcomed with open arms by Luffy and Choppper and the rest of their friendship group when the holiday arrived. It took a fair bit of getting used to; the group was loud and rowdy, and quite destructive without even meaning to be (Law recalled all of them almost being kicked out of the dorm room by campus security at one point). But they had been wonderfully accepting of Law, hadn’t spoken a word to him that was malicious or harmful, and they treated him like one of their own almost immediately after being introduced. Even if he had done barely anything except sit with one or two people and drink his beer and observe their antics, Law was made to feel comfortable by the warm hospitality of his future friends. He would have completely forgotten just how wonderful Christmas could be had it not been for Chopper and Luffy, and the rest of them.

“This is the first Christmas we’ve all spent apart.” Law mumbled to Kid as they hung up the decorations. Law ran his finger over a glittery red and silver ball, watching it sway lightly as it dangled off of the edge of the plastic branch, catching the light off of the streetlamps outside his window. Kid cocked his head to the side after having just come down from putting up the star, silently beckoning Law to continue. “My friends and I have been spending Christmas together for about eight years now, so it’s weird that we’re not doing our usual big holiday party.”

“They don’t visit family on Christmas?”

“A lot of their family come up to the city, or already live close enough so that they can visit both family and friends.” Law explained. “But not this year. Zoro-ya and Sanji-ya are visiting family up North, Nami-ya’s mother and sister have invited her and Luffy-ya to their new home in the East Line. Bepo’s brother has recently come back from a tour in the military, so of course he’d want to spend the season with him before he’s sent off again. Even Doctor Kureha is stealing Chopper-ya away for a vacation to the West Line. It feels strange to be so apart during a time usually spent together.”

Kid nodded. “I don’t have too many friends like you do, but I can kinda understand. Kil and I have been celebrating Christmas since I was like thirteen.” He told him. “It’s weird not being with him. I know he’s happy with Penguin though. And I’m real happy just being with you.”

Law felt the same. Perhaps it was destiny for all his friends to be so busy, if only so he and Kid could celebrate their own private Christmas alone. Their first, special Christmas together. Just as he was about to voice that he too was happy being with Kid, a familiar burning smell faintly wafted into the living room. Law went white. “The chicken!” He shouted, turning to the kitchen and rushing to the oven. Kid was at his heels, watching on as Law grabbed an oven mitt and drew down the door. Thankfully, there wasn’t as much smoke as there had been when Law had tried his hand at another oven-baked dish a few days ago. “Thank fuck it’s not burnt to a crisp.” He whispered to himself, carefully bringing out the tray and setting it on the counter. “Just blackened at the top.”

“Still, smells so _good!_ ” Kid said with a groan, mouth practically watering. “Can we eat now?”

Pride welled up in Law’s chest as the other praised his cooking. He made a mental note to repay Sanji the favour for writing out a recipe for the baked chicken that was easy to follow, because even if it was crispy it still smelt amazing. Law hoped that the taste was better than how it looked, though. “Yes, we’ve finished with the tree.” Law said, his fantastic mood evident on his widely smiling face. “Go ahead and sit down, I’ll grab us some plates.”

Kid was insistent to help set the table, refusing to sit until Law was ready to as well. The food was great – yes, the rice was mushy and squishy and yes the soup was extra salty and the chicken charred – but overall for a first time at such a bold meal Law hadn’t failed miserably. It helped that Kid practically wolfed down _everything_ he could get his hands on, moaning about how amazing the meal tasted, unknowingly feeding Law’s ego. Law’s face was the shade of a tomato by the end of dessert, what with how many compliments fell from Kid’s lips about the food. He was damned proud of himself, and couldn’t wait to tell Sanji just how successful the night had been.

\----------

“You were holding out on me,” Kid said after he and Law had cleaned up after their Christmas feast. Law had to laugh and explain how bad his kitchen had looked a few days ago, and how he was too terrified to try baking fish ever again after it had exploded so violently in the oven. Kid laughed with him, and promised that next time they had a celebration like this together, he’d repay the favour and be the one cooking and spoiling Law. They had packed the food away once they had finished and polished off a slice of apple pie for dessert, and had sat down together at the bottom of the now-brightly lit Christmas tree to unwrap their presents. Kid’s reaction to Law’s gift was priceless, his golden eyes wide and full of excitement, like a child in a candy store with hundreds of dollars to spend. He hadn’t ever been a game courtside before, and was rendered speechless when the tickets had slipped out of the book and landed into his lap. Law had become the subject of Kid’s butterfly kisses of thanks at such a thoughtful gift.

Kid’s gifts had been considerate too. The first one Law opened had been a set of leather wrist and ankle cuffs, and Law had raised an eyebrow before commenting on how kinky Kid was. “The handcuffs you got cut into your skin too much.” Kid responded with a shrug. “These are comfy and won’t leave you with scratches. You can struggle all you want without the pain.” Kid’s expression changed too, and he glanced away. “Plus, didn’t you once tell me that those handcuffs were left behind by your police officer ex?” He mumbled. Law wouldn’t admit that internally he was relieved to find that jealousy was flowing both ways and he wasn’t the only one obsessing over such things about their past relationships.

The second badly-wrapped present Kid had gifted him was exactly Law’s style; a stationary set, and a leather-bound notebook with gold trimming and his initials etched onto the front in large, cursive font. On the inside cover was a phrase, the message also etched in gold, standing out starkly against the black leather; _For the inner workings of your brilliant mind._

“I love it.” Law whispered, cradling the book close. “It’s the best gift I’ve ever received.”

Kid smiled, holding up his tickets. “Me too.”

Now, they were lying on the couch together, talking softly while the television played cheesy Christmas movies in the background at a low volume. Kid wrapped an arm around Law’s shoulders, the other curled up at his side, clinging to him possessively. Law swallowed thickly, shifting a little against Kid’s body. He had been sitting quite gingerly at the dinner table and then again on the floor when they unwrapped their presents, leaning forward at an angle to alleviate the pressure of the plug still up his ass, being conscious of making light, feathery movements to avoid being set off in a horny frenzy. Since they had finished eating and the presents were opened, and they had digested their meal a little bit, Law supposed now was as good a time as any to finally divulge his inner thoughts.

“Eustass-ya…”

“Hm?”

Law swallowed thickly. “Ask me to be your boyfriend again.”

Kid stilled next to him, and Law could hear how his breath hitched. He waited patiently for the request to settle, Kid’s handsome face turning to look at Law’s bashful one. Their eyes met, stormy steel zapping against burning fire. “Are you serious?” Kid muttered, almost in disbelief.

“As a heart attack, though I suppose you’ll never know if you don’t ask me again. Unless your offer is off the table, o-of course.” Law said, having not even thought of the possibility of Kid having rescinding his proposition.

“It’s not,” Kid said seriously, sitting up and taking Law with him. His powerful arms lifted Law up from his position on the soft cushions and settled him into his lap so that they were chest to chest. Law’s legs were on either side of his body, and Kid was leaning forward so that the tips of their noses were brushing against each other. Law sucked in deep, inhaling the wonderful musky, smoky, unique scent of his lover. “Trafalgar Law,” Kid muttered, his voice naturally dropping to the octave had that Law weak at the knees every time he heard that tone. “Would you be my boyfriend?”

“Fuck yes.” Law responded instantly, resting his hand on Kid’s chest and closing the gap between their mouths. They sealed the deal with a kiss that had Law melting like butter in Law’s arms. He snaked his hands up Kid’s shoulders and wrapped them around his neck, back arching while they made out deeply on the couch. He squirmed in his spot in Kid’s lap, feeling the man’s cock harden in his pants at the movement. Kid’s wandering hands rested against the butt of Law’s pants, and it wasn’t long until he decided to take it to the bedroom. When he stood from the couch and lifted Law up with him, the plug inside Law shifted at an angle that brushed against his prostate.

A wanton moan left Law’s lips, and Kid stopped his actions altogether. “Fuck, that was a sexy noise,” He said. “Was that just from kissing?”

Law shook his head, biting his lip and watching as Kid’s expression shifted to delirious salacity. “What you hiding from me in there?” He asked in a sultry voice, fingers gripping tighter onto Law’s ass.

“G-guess you’ll have to unwrap your next present and see for yourself.” Law muttered, bending his head to nibble at Kid’s ear, rocking his hips once and moaning again at the glorious feeling of the plug within him.

Kid made his way to the bedroom with haste, none-to-gently dumping Law down onto the bed on his back in his eagerness to get undressed. Law spread his body out, neat shirt now riding up his toned stomach, long legs already parted and bent at the knees, arms strewn about either side of him. Slowly, Kid’s fingers found their way to Law’s pants, and he rubbed the other’s clothed crotch, feeling his length through the material. Law glanced up at him coyly, spreading his legs further at the ministrations that were making him squirm with delight. Two of Kid’s fingers worked to undo the top button of the high-rise slacks, and then he reached for the zipper. When Kid pulled it down and parted the fabric he growled low and deep at the sight that befell him. Peeking through the pants was Law’s lacy, red underwear, his cock bulging in the thin, see-through material. The deep ruby colour almost matched Kid’s own crimson locks, standing out brightly against Law’s tanned skin. Law could smell the lust emanating from Kid; his entire being was dripping with it, permeating in the air as he stared in silence at Law’s lingerie like a man possessed. His eyes were dark with need, painted mouth parted as he continued pulling down Law’s pants slowly. He was savouring every second of the disrobing process, taking his time to unwrap the gift that Law was giving him, loving the way the tight fabric did very little to hide Law’s hardening length and growing balls. When he brought down Law’s slacks enough to see the suspenders, garters, and the silky stockings, the noise that came from his throat was damn-near animalistic, raw power emanated from his rumbling throat. It left Law shuddering, his cock responding in interest with a jolt at the absolutely possessive, powerful sound.

Law’s shirt did not come off as slowly as his pants had, but soon enough Law was semi-naked on the bed, clad in only his risqué underwear. He lifted one of his legs and pointed his toes, arching his foot while he rubbed up Kid’s side. “Do you like your gift?” Law teased, one of his hands reaching for Kid’s. He guided the other’s hand down to the top of his panties, slipping it inside and letting Kid feel the precum that was coating the inside of them, wanting him to know just how fucking wet he was.

“You’re fucking delicious,” Kid growled, wrapping his fist around Law’s dick. Law jolted, moaning and wiggling as Kid jerked him slowly, not removing the other’s cock from his underwear, teasing the sensitive head against the pricking fabric. “So fucking perfect.”

Law moaned at the praise, one of his hands draped over his face as Kid played with his cock. “T-there’s more.” He tried to say, lifting his hips up. With how little fabric there was, he was sure that the jewelled base of his butt plug would be seen through his underwear.

Another low groan was ripped from Kid’s throat as he spotted the toy. “Has that been in there the whole night?” He growled.

Law nodded, and Kid closed his eyes to take in a shaky breath. “I envisioned it being your cock.” Law admitted. “When we were sitting down for dinner, opening our presents, laying on the couch… I could feel it inside. And when I closed my eyes, I imagined it was you. Y-your cock. Your cum. F-Filling me up.”

“So fucking _filthy_ Law. You want my cock that badly? Hm?” Kid asked in the guttural voice that oozed his arousal, slipping his hand out of Law’s underwear. His eyes had darkened, black pupils dilated as he watched Law shiver under his commanding gaze.

 _“P-please…”_ Law whined, reaching up for Kid again. “I _need_ you. It’s been too long…”

Kid responded well to those words, a pleased groan escaping his lips. He held onto Law’s hips, fingers digging deep before flipping him over so the man was on his knees, his ass lifted up to the air. “Stay like that. We’re going to break in your new cuffs.”

Law whimpered, spreading his knees further and obeying the direction, heart racing in his chest as he heard Kid jump off of the bed and run into the living room to retrieve the restraints. Shifting, Law got himself comfortable as he reached his shaky hands upward to the hem of his panties. He pulled them down halfway but still kept them on, exposing his supple ass and the jewelled plug for Kid to return to. When Kid’s footsteps came thundering back in the room, he hissed at the sight before clambering onto the bed. Law yelped as he felt Kid smack his left asscheek, muffling his whine into the pillow. “God Law, you are so fucking _hot._ ” Kid’s deep voice thundered in the room, the man wrenching Law’s hands behind his back and securing the leather cuffs. Kid was right about the sex cuffs being more comfortable than the handcuffs, and they were thick enough to support his wrists and not dig into his skin at all. “Remind me of your safe-word, ‘cause that’s the only thing that’ll get me to stop right now.” Kid warned, laying another smack down on Law’s ass.

“I-it’s red.”

“And your colour now?”

“God, _green._ ” Law whined, wiggling his ass.

Law was spanked again, roughly, before Kid reached for the plug and pulled it out. Law’s pucker was red and puffy, the lube having mostly dried out by now. Reaching for more of the slick liquid, Kid slathered the stuff all over his hand, dick, and Law’s ass, slipping one finger in to test the waters. “Gonna open you up with my cock just like you want, beautiful.” Kid told him, pushing his finger in and out a few times to ensure his hole would nicely stretch. When he pulled it out, he slid Law’s underwear back up again. “Gonna fuck you in your pretty little panties.” Kid said roughly, pulling the back of Law’s underwear to the side, just enough to expose his hole. Law hissed when Kid aligned the fat tip of his cock against his hole, the chains in between his leather cuffs rattling as he shook with anticipation. The head breached his entrance, still managing to be such a tight fit despite Law’s earlier preparation. He was taking in Kid’s cock more easily than the first time they had fucked, yet each time Kid was sheathed fully inside of him it felt just as good. Law moaned into the pillow as Kid slowly fucked into him, rocking his hips forward and back, inching his way in and out, stretching his hole around his cock. Kid’s hands rested onto Law’s back, pushing his shoulders and chest down onto the soft mattress into his favourite position to take him, claim him, and fuck him.

“Kid _please,_ ” Law whined, trying to buck his hips upward. Kid liked to enter him slow, teasing, and while it felt fucking incredible, he was craving it rough. He wanted Kid to shove himself inside of his ass hard, yearned to feel his cock inside of him for the rest of the goddamn week. “N-need more of you~ please~”

Kid kissed the back of his neck, drawing his body backwards so that only his tip was inserted once again. “As you wish, beautiful.”

Law screamed in pleasure as Kid obliged him, shoving home in one deep thrust, grunting at the rapid feel of Law’s ass constricting his cock. They both moaned, the combined chorus of their noises filling the air as Kid rocked their bodies together in beautiful, euphoric harmony. Not for the first time had either of them felt the same thing without needing to say it; this felt _right._ Being together, their bodies melted into one, as though it had been written in the stars before either of them had been born that they were supposed to have found each other. A destiny fulfilling prophecy. Pure, mindless, connected pleasure. Souls entwined in red, twisting, unbreakable thread.

A match made in Mariejois heaven, their coupling blessed by the lords above.

 _“Kid~!”_ Law moaned, his body at the mercy of the man above him. Kid held onto his hips securely with a grip strong enough to bruise, slamming inside Law at a controlled pace, his cock hitting into Law’s prostate every time it was pushed inside of him. Law’s dick was so hard, untouched by Kid’s hand but kissed by the itchy fabric of his panties, which rubbed against him in all the right ways despite not quite being enough to sate him. One of Kid’s hands had a firm hold on Law’s nipples, tweaking and pulling and rubbing the nubs and sending tingles up his body. The other hand trailed down Law’s thigh, playfully pulling the garter and letting it snap back into place, transitioning between doing that repeatedly and running his fingers over the stockings Law wore. He pulled that too, rolling the translucent fabric between his thumb and forefinger, growls of approval rumbling in his throat at the choice of garment. He’d tease Law’s balls that were spilling out of one side of his panties, fondling and groping through the lace, making Law’s moans escalate. _“Please fucking touch me!”_

Kid did, once again through the panties. Law whined, his lips quivering as he tried to fuck himself backwards onto Kid’s cock and forward into where his dick was being palmed, seeking as much pleasure as he could. “Want to see you cream your panties,” Kid groaned, feeling as though he was about to reach his peak, starting to rub and squeeze Law’s cock even more now. Law panted, toes curled in his stockings as his hips gyrated wildly, closing his eyes and seeing colours burst against his eyelids as he felt his balls draw upward and release. The fire in his stomach that had been building was relieved when he came with a shuddering, drawn moan, his semen spurting out from his cock and coating the inside of his underwear just as Kid had wanted.

Kid came not long after, wrapping his hand around Law’s middle as he felt the man’s hole naturally clench and tighten as he orgasmed. He shoved his cock as deep as he could go, feeling the bulge in Law’s stomach where he held him as he came hard, keeping their hips flushed close. Law was panting lightly now, his shoulders shaking, fingers curled into fists behind where he was restrained as he felt Kid’s cum fill him up to the brim. Kid stroked his stomach, always amazed that he made such a dent in it when they fucked like this, hoping that it felt as good for Law as it did for him. “I never want you to take these off.” Kid mumbled into Law’s back, kissing up his spine while Law muffled a laugh against the pillow. He carefully undid the wrist restraints, setting them to the side.

“You wouldn’t rather me naked?” Law asked coyly, slipping his fingers into the back of his underwear. Kid had them pulled to the side, his dick still securely fitted into Law’s ass.

“Nope. If you could just wear this forever, everywhere you go, I’d be a happy man.” Kid told him, and that had Law laughing freely.

“I imagine my superiors at work would have something to say if I walked into the hospital wearing only this.”

Kid paused, humming softly before grinning to himself. “You could wear your doctor coat on top. Yeah, that’d be fucking hot too.”

“Oh yes.” Law muttered, deciding it was time to show his hand. “Then I’d _really_ be your Doctor Heartstealer, wouldn’t I?”

Kid stiffened, his hold on Law faltering slightly as a low sigh escaped his lips. “Goddamn it,” He mumbled. “Did Kil tell you?”

Law huffed, turning his head to glance behind his shoulder to where a red-faced Kid was staring back at him. He couldn’t help himself, biting his bottom lip to stifle the chuckle that was building up at the adorable sight of the blushing man behind him. “ _You_ told me, but I’m not surprised you don’t remember. You sounded awfully drunk when you let it slip.” Law told him, watching the blush on Kid’s face deepen in colour.

“I told you it was embarrassing.” Kid groaned, burying his face in Law’s shoulder, keeping a tight hold around Law’s middle. When he pushed forward, Law moaned and rocked backwards onto where Kid’s cock was still inside him, the contact and touch of their connected sexes sending a wave up pleasure up his spine. He heard Kid chuckle despite his bashfulness, hiding his face in the nook between Law’s shoulder and neck, lips softly mouthing the heated skin.

“I think it’s lovely.” Law admitted, slithering a hand up into Kid’s hair. He pulled lightly, enough to beckon the other to lift his head, before arching backward as much as he could and planting a kiss on his cheek. “Makes me feel quite special.”

“That’s ‘cause you are.” Kid responded, kissing Law in return. “You’re very special, Trafalgar Law.”

Goodness. Law didn’t think his heart would be able to take much more of this. He felt as if it wasn’t just skipping a beat at this point; it was skipping multiple in rapid succession, swelling from the amount of adoration fed his way whenever Kid opened his mouth. He lost himself in Kid’s kisses, even if the position – twisting his head back, shaky arms holding up his spent body, ass still stuffed full of cock – was undesirable. _So are you, Eustass Kid. Oh so very special…_

The other pulled out slowly, but didn’t leave Law empty for long. Before any of Kid’s cum could drip out, he had lubed up and shoved Law’s buttplug inside of him, causing the doctor to jerk forward from the unexpectedness of it. Kid let the lace panties slide over the top, keeping the plug nestled inside the back of Law’s underwear. “This isn’t the only time we’re fucking tonight.” Kid said decidedly, his confidence returning now as he ran his hands down the exposed part of Law’s ass, feeling the goose bumps that arose on his flushed skin. “But in the meantime, my cum’ll keep you full. It’s what you wanted after all.” His grin turned wicked, as he thought on Law’s words from earlier, when he said he imagined Kid’s cock was up his ass instead of the plug.

Law bit his lip, allowing Kid to guide him upward on his shaky knees. “And my underwear?”

“Oh fuck yeah you’ll be keeping that on too.” Kid ordered firmly, kissing the shell of Law’s ear, feeling the outside of the front of Law’s wet, sticky panties. “It’s sexy as f- oh shit! _Look!_

Kid bounded off of the bed, rushing to the window in Law’s room that looked out onto the street. He pressed his face and hands right up against it, almost taking up the entire space of the narrow glass. Law cocked his head to the side, wanting to kindly ask his boyfriend to get the fuck away from the glass because he was going to leave his fingerprints smeared all over it, but he stopped himself. Kid had turned to him with a look of absolute wonder and amazement on his face, with a stretched-out grin and brightly shining eyes. “Fuck yes, it’s _snowing!_ Law come and see it!”

Law gingerly slid off of the bed, taking the blanket with him. He wrapped it around his bare shoulders, hobbling to the window to join Kid for his first snow experience. The sky outside had darkened, but the floating white flakes were seen quite clearly by the aid of the streetlamps, twisting like pieces of dandelions in the wind. It hadn’t been snowing for very long, but the sidewalk was dotted with an increasing amount of white specks. “Just dusting,” Law mumbled, lifting one side of the blanket around his shoulders and encompassing Kid with it so they were bundled up together. “But I’m sure it’ll come down hard overnight. It’ll be nice and soft tomorrow.”

Kid nodded, still mesmerised by the snow as if he were under a spell. Law couldn’t help himself, and went up on his tiptoes to softly kiss the side of Kid’s cheek. With how dominating and commanding the man usually was, it was unusual – but not unpleasant – to see him with this childlike wonder. Law was happy to stand there with Kid for a while, leaning against his arm and snuggling close while the red-head watched the outside world through the window. Cocooned in a thick blanket, sharing body heat, having just strengthened their relationship… there was no place Law would rather be for this very, special Christmas.

\----------

**Outside Law’s apartment**

The first snow of the winter months danced in front of his sunglasses. Clean, virgin flakes twirled in circuitous form as they fell from the sky, catching the light off of the streetlamps and twinkling brightly. The ambience of the outside world bathed in night was nothing short of peace and calm, soothing, soft, and quiet.

“Is that red-headed _fuck_ the brat from Kaido’s gang?”

Contrastingly, not everybody’s mood matched that of the atmosphere. While the snowfall kissed the earth gently and provided a sense of tranquillity outside, inwardly, there was a thunderous, dangerous storm brewing for one particular individual. Protected from the weather and cold by his car and his pink-feathered coat, Donquixote Doflamingo was staring up at the window that was attached to the side of the apartment that belonged to Trafalgar Law. The words he had uttered – spoken to his companion in the vehicle with him, an older gentleman named Trebol – were the first that left his lips after he was stunned to silence by the display he viewed through the window.

Law’s apartment wasn’t too high up, but it was still quite difficult to see through it if on the street directly below. The perspective had to be from a certain angle, and even then the outlook would mostly be moving shadows from the lights inside, like a shadow puppet show where forms morphed between blobs and shapes. The only real way to be provided with a clear sighting of the apartment’s inhabitant was if they were plastered right up against the window, or had opened the protective fly-screen covering to poke their head outward to examine the street. From where Doflamingo had parked his car, he would be out of the field of vision for Law unless he did just that, and angled his head out of the window to the side of his apartment building. Both hidden from each other in plain sight; one looking out, and one looking in.

What had completely thrown Doflamingo for a loop was the fact that it wasn’t Law that was being exhibited through the window; there was a stranger in there, one who the mob-boss did not know on a personal level, but knew by name and reputation.

“Looks like him.” Trebol commented with a wet sniffle, reaching up to dab his runny nose with an unused handkerchief. The portly man had accompanied Doflamingo’s business trip into the city, being in charge of overseeing a few aspects of the dispensing of their product, including hiring and killin- _firing,_ the kingpins who got it moving around the clubs and hotspots. “Nneh Doffy, didn’t you ask Vergo to take care of that Eustass kid already?”

Doflamingo nodded, his hands gripping the steering wheel of his car so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. “I asked him to see whether my territory here in the city was in danger.” Doflamingo told him. “Vergo reported that the brat wasn’t even in the gang scene anymore.”

“Nnehehehe, that’s amateurish thinkin’. You don’t leave a gang.”

“Apparently, he did.” Doflamingo muttered. “Though fucking Kaido won’t answer my calls so I can’t confirm it with him.”

Trebol winced, his thick, dark eyebrows crinkling as he thought back to a conversation between Doflamingo and Kaido when the older mob boss had dropped Doflamingo as his supplier. Their respective gangs had been engaged in the drug trade long before Doflamingo became the head of the Donquixote gang, having inherited his ‘empire’ after his patricide. Since Kaido’s interests had shifted – as well as a few entanglements between the gang supporters and devotees – the King of the Beasts and the Joker were no longer on friendly speaking terms. Just professional, at times when their paths did cross. Doflamingo didn’t mourn the loss, having established a new clientele when his kingdom grew after he bought out the businesses of the now-retired mob boss Crocodile. He was rolling in cash from the various clubs, pubs, and casinos he owned, as well as the more underground illegal institutions like his Dressrosan brothels and the drug trafficking. But it did irritate Doflamingo just how easily he could be cast aside by Kaido, especially when he felt as though _he_ had been a contributing factor to the Beast’s popularity and high supporter numbers. Disrespectful prick.

“So… what are you going to do?” Trebol asked Doflamingo.

The blonde haired man didn’t break his stare at the window. It had just been Kid earlier, but now his pet had joined beside him. He could only imagine what the two of them had done in Law’s apartment; both were shirtless, though Law had a blanket around his shoulders. The red-head’s hair was sticking out messily, and Law’s own raven locks were tussled. The soft smile on Law’s face, the way he wrapped Kid in the blanket with him-

The kisses they shared together in front of the window-

He shouldn’t be surprised. His pet was incredibly handsome, his exotic features and beautiful body able to draw men in like he was a siren bringing sailors to their deaths. He had smooth, tanned skin and soft raven hair that felt so lovely to run a hand through. And his stormy eyes were captivating. It was very easy for one to fall into them. It made sense that Law was so desired by others looking the way he did, since Doflamingo himself was victim to that disarming gorgeousness. Yes, he couldn’t blame men from dropping like flies when they saw his lovely pet.

But did he have to draw in someone like Eustass Kid? A man who could prove to be a huge threat to Doflamingo’s intentions to keep his Law forever?

A low, dark chuckle escaped from Doflamingo’s throat as he let go of the steering wheel. He slumped in the plush leather seating of his car, shoulders beginning to lightly tremble from the growing intensity of his laughter. Trebol watched, eyes wide behind his own dark shades, slightly pulling back as far as he could go in the passenger seat while Doflamingo’s chuckle transformed into a giggle, then a cackle, and then to boisterous, unhinged laughter. “D-doffy?” Trebol asked, sniffling again.

Doflamingo continued to laugh, as though he couldn’t even control himself anymore. His shoulders shook violently, feathers from his pink coat vibrating with the action, making Doflamingo appear even wilder as he completely lost his senses and inhibitions as he laughed and laughed and laughed. The high-pitched, maniacal screeches emitting from the man were familiar to Terbol; Doflamingo had laughed the exact same way as when he had killed his own father. After unloading his gun into old Homing Donquixote, all Doflamingo could do was laugh. Trebol had been there, watching, shaking in his own boots from terror as he his old boss fell, and his new boss stood over him with a wide, toothy grin stretched across his face. The laughter had followed shortly after. Small bursts of chuckles and snorts transformed into completely deranged howls of joyful insanity, that Trebol and the others with him – Diamante, Pica, and Vergo – would never be able to understand. The fact that Doflamingo was having this same reaction now didn’t bode well at all to Trebol, who could only wonder in fear as to what would materialise in the future.

Trebol was silent and still as he waited for Doflamingo’s moment of madness to pass. By then, Law and Kid had disappeared from the window, still tangled in each other’s arms, lips still locked together in a deep kiss. “Fufufufu… fufu… fu…” Doflamingo panted, bringing up a finger to wipe away a tear from the laugher. “You know Trebol, I’m not a simpleton. I know that Law’s been with many men before. I was hoping he would, so he could have that experience of the ‘freedom’ he wished from me,” Doflamingo started saying, forming quotation marks with his fingers. “But nobody has ever been in the same league as that Kid bastard.”

Not quite understanding, Trebol paused for a moment before asking for clarification on what Doflamingo meant by that. “Nneh, because he’s in a gang Doffy?”

Doflamingo shook his head, a grim smile on his face. “Because he singlehandedly killed one of the most powerful mob-bosses, and got away scot-free. He’s a dangerous man, dear Trebol. And if he finds out what I plan to do to Law come July, perhaps I’ll be the next person on his hit list.”

“He’ll never get to you Doffy!” Trebol shouted, slamming a porky fist onto the dashboard of the car. “No matter how strong this guy was to take down Big Mam, he would have been dead-meat had it not been for Kaido’s back up and protection! If he’s really not in a gang like Vergo said he was then that means he’s all alone! Nneh, there’s no way some young punk like that would be stupid enough to take us all on over a boy like Law!”

“Fufufu,” Doflamingo chuckled, turning to Trebol with a wicked grin on his face. “Perhaps you’re right. Maybe he will leave my pet alone, and go ahead and find another hole to fuck. That would be ideal for me.” Doflamingo sucked in a deep breath, reaching for the keys in the ignition and twisting it so the car would come to life. It revved up loudly, disturbing the peace around them. “If not, that’s fine with me too. I’ll take care of him like I always do with those who piss me off. Plus, it would be wonderful to see Law’s pretty little face cry when he watches me execute his lover. Like when I shot dear Rosi all those years ago.”

Saying Rosinante’s name put a look of momentary anguish on Doflamingo’s face, but it was gone in an instant. Trebol cleared his throat, choosing to pretend that he didn’t notice the reaction. “About Rosinante, Doffy, did you ever find his-”

“No.” Doflamingo interrupted Trebol, his voice firm. “Dear Rosi is dead and there’s nothing more to it.”

“But his body-”

“Was most likely taken care of by wild dogs. Trust me, if he was still alive, we’d know. We searched for years. There’s nothing more to discuss about my brother’s death. Let’s allow him to rest in peace, shall we?”

Trebol nodded, allowing the issue to slip. “Where are we going now?”

“Back home. I just wanted to check up on Law before we left the city. Do you have the cash from the exchange with you?”

Trebol pat his fat coat pockets that were lined with wads of bills from their latest check-up. The man that they had hired to be in charge of the earnings while he moved product around had pulled through, managing to get rid of most of the new SMILE drug Doflamingo had recently allowed to go public. It was intended to provide a person with the most wonderfully intense high they could experience, and was highly addictive too so people felt as though they had no choice but to keep purchasing it. “I’ll put it in the vault when we get back to the mansion.”

“Leave me a stack, Trebol.” Doflamingo said, glancing to the side and watching Trebol take out a wad of cash and open up the glovebox to place it in there. “I think tomorrow, I’ll be spending some time furnishing my bedroom.” He grinned widely, pressing on the pedal of the car hard, letting it speed away into the night. “After all, I have to prepare it for when my dear pet returns to me.”


	14. Bonus Chapter: The Happy Couple(s)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since he had come into Law’s life, Kid had slowly changed it for the better. He felt as though he were on the receiving end of a heart transplant, the type of surgery that Law was usually assigned to complete. The empty, black heart that Law convinced himself he had was completely replaced with a brand spanking new one, curtesy of his boyfriend. With Kid, Law was able to stitch up the jagged pieces of his broken heart, worn down from years of hardship and pain and grief. With Kid, Law felt lighter than a feather, and better about himself as a person. With Kid…
> 
> Law felt _alive._
> 
> And he was going to hold onto that feeling for as long as he fucking could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a small bonus chapter thingy but ended up becoming a whole-ass essay lmao #noregrets
> 
> Nothing to do with plot, just a lil bonus that I couldn't get out of my head until I actually wrote it down. Darn ZoSan. Taking over my life XD I had to stop in the middle of writing my next chapter in order to finish this one first, because I couldn't move on until it was done. Plus, lowkey, I needed something happy because things will be going downhill from here :"")
> 
> As always, thank you so much for the comments and kudos 🖤 I hope you enjoy this little bonus - I'll try to have the next chapter out as soon as I can (I know I was a late with an upload this time uwu thanks work/study). Warning, this is completely unedited and possibly mixed in with my first draft so there might be some uhh continuity stuff gone wrong. I'll fix them up tomorrow.
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Bonus Chapter: Mentions of internalised homophobia, mentions of homophobic characters, some sexual innuendo  
> (I think that's all. It's currently 3am and I'm dead tired, so I might have missed some others - but there's nothing that would warrant an 'E' rating in this particular chapter so this should be right).
> 
> Enjoy!

**3rd January, 2020**

**The Flaming Phoenix Bar, Downtown, Grand Line City**

**7:30pm**

** Six months remaining. **

“What do you mean you got married in Germa!?”

Sanji sighed, leaning against the back of the plush booth of the Flaming Phoenix bar he was sat in, alongside some of his other friends. He glanced at the looks of surprise that graced the faces of those gathered around him at his revelation, including Law, Nami, Ussop, Bepo, Franky, and Robin. Law was sitting beside Sanji in the booth, his grey eyes widening as the man reached for his glass of merlot. A simple silver band shined from the ring finger of his left hand, decorating the once naked digit with an explicit message; Sanji Vinsmoke was now a married man. Nami and Ussop – the two of their group who had exclaimed about Sanji’s announcement moments ago – were stood from their seats, mouths dropped slightly as they too stared at the ring in disbelief.

“It’s not a big deal.” Sanji tried to convince them coolly, but the sides of his lips were quirking upward. His words received another cry from Ussop _(“no big deal!?”)_ and Nami _(“are you serious right now!?”)_ while he sipped his drink.

“Congratulations Sanji-san!” Robin told Sanji with a smile, reaching across the table to squeeze Sanji’s free hand. Of all those at the table, she had been the quickest to bounce back from the news and was the least astonished, having always thought that the long-term relationship between Sanji and Zoro would eventuate into marriage. She was however, surprised that their union had occurred so spontaneously, and without any of their friends there.

“Yeah Sanji! Marriage is great when you know you’re with the right person!” Franky said happily, wrapping an arm around his wife and kissing the side of her head.

Bepo stared in amazement at the ring, having an interest in ornaments and objects that sparkled. He took Sanji’s hand after Robin and Franky had had a look to examine it for himself, a wide smile plastered on his face at the momentous occasion.

“Why didn’t you tell us Sanji? Did you not want us there?” Nami asked, still reeling, a slight hint of hurt in her voice as she and Ussop sat back down in their chairs.

“Of course not, dear Nami-swan,” Sanji assured her softly, ever the gentleman. “I would have loved for all of you to be there, I promise.” He had always had a soft spot for the woman, Law had noticed. Well, he had a soft spot for _all_ women, despite not being sexually interested in them, but Nami seemed to be especially exceptional to him. Sanji had told Law once that she was the first person he had come out too, after years of internalised homophobia and being in denial of his true self, so Law knew that she would always hold a special spot in the man’s heart.

“What happened?” Law asked curiously. It was strange enough that both Zoro and Sanji had gotten married without having their friends at the ceremony, but then to keep such a large milestone to themselves until a few days after their return from Germa was bizarre.

Sanji leaned back into the booth again, his fingers drumming the table and twitching for the cigarette pack he kept in his pocket. He mentally cursed the smoking laws that prevented him from lighting up indoors before beginning to explain himself to his friends. “It was all really fast and totally unplanned,” he admitted. “We were with my mother and Reiju, and mum was really zoned out because of all the medication she was taking. She was still trying to talk to us and catch up because it’s been years since I’ve been back home and she knew virtually nothing about me and Zoro. So she’s asking Zoro and I questions about our relationship even though she’s falling asleep and looking like death, and her eyes… she just looked so _happy._ Before she finally dozed off, she mumbled something that I didn’t really catch, but Zoro did. When we left to go to the hotel, he was quiet the entire walk there. He was frowning so badly it was like he was getting ready for a fight. You know that look? When he’s concentrating really hard and that small vein in his forehead bulges out?” Sanji smiled softly, playing around with the ring, twisting it around the circumference of his finger. “When we were in bed that night he was tossing and turning too much so I told him to tell me what was buggin’ him or I’d kick him out and make him sleep on the floor. That’s when he told me what my mother had said.”

“What did she say?” Ussop asked in interest, leaning in close to hear more.

“She said she hoped she lived long enough to see the two of us get married one day.” He said quietly. “And Zoro had been thinking on that the entire night, and then asked me right then and there if I wanted to marry him in Germa.” Sanji chuckled. “I didn’t believe him, but he took my hand with that serious look on his face and asked again if I would marry him. He said he didn’t care if my brothers and father didn’t approve of our relationship. My mother and sister did, and he said we should celebrate with the people that matter before it was too late.”

“Oh Sanji,” Nami said with a sniffle, covering her mouth with her hand.

“D-Damn! Zoro-bro is so sweet!” Franky cried, already teary. Robin quietly passed him a tissue from her purse, and he immediately started dabbing the side of his eyes.

Sanji nodded. “My boyfriend – well, husband now – can be surprisingly sensible when the need arises. Fucking hell, of course I said yes. I love that moss-headed idiot. The next morning we told my mother and Reiju that before we left Germa, we’d be tying the knot. She cried so hard, but I haven’t seen her that happy in years. Reiju was so damned excited, and said she’d organise a Justice of the Peace to officiate it as soon as possible since neither of us wanted a priest.”

“That’s so wonderful,” Robin commented, Franky sobbing loudly now beside her. Law nodded, a smile on his face as he shared his in friend’s happiness. He wanted to call Zoro too, as soon as possible, to congratulate him as well.

“A day before Zoro and I left to come back, we signed the papers and had a small ceremony in the park. It was snowy as fuck and I froze my balls off, but it was intimate and lovely all the same.”

“Did you invite the rest of your family?” Ussop asked him.

“I didn’t want to, but Zoro suggested that it might be a way to bridge the gap between us. If they showed up, great. Maybe we can finally see them grow up some. If not, that was fine too. I’ve always known where I’ve stood with my brothers, so nothing would change either way.” Sanji snorted. “My father reluctantly came along, at the insistence of my mother. He wasn’t happy by any means, but damn. Even on her fucking deathbed mum’s still able to put that bastard in his place.”

Nami chuckled. “Go mama Vinsmoke.”

“And your brothers?” Law asked.

“Niji and Yonji didn’t bother, but Ichiji was there. Well… kind of. He was watching from the other side of the park, though he didn’t come down to watch the vows and the rings exchange. He left without even talking to us, but when Zoro and I were taking a cab to the train station, he was the only one of my brothers who came to see us off. So there’s something, at least.”

“Honestly Sanji, if they can’t appreciate you for the wonderful person you are, they don’t deserve to be at the wedding.” Nami expressed, Bepo nodding furiously in agreement.

“Thank you, guys. And there will be another ceremony, I promise.” He said. “Zoro and I agreed we’d do something formal with our friends there. I already told my old man Zeff, and even though he kicked my ass every which way to fucking Sunday when he found out I got married without him being there, said he wanted to help organise everything.” Zeff – the man who Sanji admired as a true father instead of his own blood-related one – was a renowned chef in the Grand Line City. He owned many of the highest rated restaurants in the city, one of which – the Baratie – was eventually sold to Sanji. After moving to the Grand Line to become an apprentice chef, Zeff had taken Sanji under his wing after recognising his talents in the kitchen. The two had a father-son relationship, which Law knew Sanji treasured very much.

“How exciting,” Robin said dreamily. “Have you set a date?”

“Not really, but it will be towards the end of January. I know that it’s short notice and I’m going to send out invitations very soon, but Zoro and I would really appreciate it if you were all there. And all our other friends, of course.”

A chorus of “of course we will!” chimed from Ussop, Nami, Bepo, and Franky, while Law and Robin nodded.

“Please let us know if you need any help okay?” Nami told him. “I can get you guys some good prices on rings at the jewellery shop I work at if you want to get some new ones.”

“I think I’ll take you up on that Nami-swan.” Sanji said. “The ones that Zoro and I bought might look good, but they were terrible quality and really cheap. The inside is already chipping away since it’s not real silver, but since it was Christmas and last minute we didn’t have that much choice.”

 _“SANNNJJJIIII!!!!!!”_ Luffy’s exuberant voice came from the door of the bar, which had wildly swung open with his lively, loud entrance. He bounced all the way to the booth where Law and the others were, upsetting a few tables of patrons that were dining and drinking, diving in to give the Sanji a fierce, backbreaking hug. Zoro followed in soon after at a regular pace, scratching the back of his head as he watched the chaotic greeting with amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Luffy you’re disturbing everybody!” Marco called irritably from behind the bar.

“Sorry Pineapple! But I have a good reason this time! Sanji and Zoro got married!!!” Luffy called loudly. The patrons in the bar – despite having their pleasant evening interrupted by an excitable Luffy – made a noise of understanding in unison, before applauding politely at the announcement.

Marco smiled, his annoyance with Luffy forgotten as he exited from behind the bar to congratulate Zoro and Sanji, calling out for Cavendish to top up everybody’s drink for free as compensation for Luffy’s intrusion to their dine-in experience.

Sanji laughed, hugging Luffy back and greeting a bashful Zoro, who was practically glowing despite the shy look on his face. “Thank you Luffy. Did Zoro tell you that he wants you to be his best man at our redo ceremony?”

“He did!!! I’m going to be the best best man _ever!”_ Luffy’s smile stretched from ear-to-ear, his happiness contagious, the others at the table laughing loudly, some joining in the growing group hug.

Law sat back quietly, watching on with silent joy as Marco beckoned another worker to get their table a round of drinks. When Zoro got close enough to him, Law reached up to tug at his shirt, wordlessly requesting that he sit beside him. Zoro did so, a puzzled expression on his face. “What’s up?” Zoro asked, sliding into the booth.

To Zoro’s surprise, Law leaned forward to give him a hug. Law rarely ever initiated such an action, and those in their friendship group respected that he didn’t always appreciate their affectionate contact. It was a new development for Law too, who found himself slowly becoming used to expressing his feelings more physically in the manifestation of his relationship with Kid. Not only that, but he was so very happy for Zoro and Sanji. He and Zoro had shared a part of themselves when they had slept together all those years ago, and while they had both acknowledged their night was nothing but a stress-reliever rather than a romantic tumble in the sheets, their friendship had grown tremendously afterward. They had started to confide in each other more than they ever had before, and their bond had strengthened into that of being incredibly close friends. “Congratulations.” Law whispered into his ear. “You two deserve all the happiness in the world.”

Zoro chuckled, wrapping his arms around Law’s back and swaying him lightly. “Thank you. So do you, Law.” Zoro replied. They broke the hug, Zoro reaching across the table to hold Sanji’s hand, running his thumb over the other’s fingers while the blonde excitedly got caught up in chatter about the upcoming plans for the marriage ceremony.

Law too found himself getting swept away with the conversation the others were having. He didn’t have much knowledge to contribute, but watched as Robin drew up possible wedding card designs on a napkin and listened while Ussop excitedly said he’d ask Kaya if she could order some flowers from her old workplace to decorate the tables. The ceremony was going to be at the Baratie, since it held sentimental value for Sanji and was big enough to sit their large guest list. While Law himself had no intentions of getting married now or in future, he understood the euphoria of reaching a new stage in a relationship. He had experienced one with Kid on Christmas Day, and nothing could take away from the heart-warming wonderfulness that had lingered around since that development. He could only imagine how strongly the bond between Zoro and Sanji had grown now that they had taken the final plunge. Smiling to himself, Law brought out his phone to text Kid, who was currently spending some time with his friends from the South Line, having promised them they’d catch-up after being separated for Christmas.

_**Law:** Guess what, Eustass-ya? We’re going to a wedding._

\----------

**19th January, 2020**

**The Baratie, Downtown, Grand Line City**

**5:30pm**

“You look so handsome in a suit, Eustass-ya,” Law commented, his silver eyes brushing over his boyfriend’s appearance for what felt like the hundredth time in the span of half-an-hour. It was the day of Zoro and Sanji’s wedding, and he and Kid had just arrived at the Baratie for the ceremony and reception, the wedding plans having gone relatively smooth despite the short timeframe given for preparation. Kid had picked Law up from his apartment earlier in the day, all dressed up in a brand-new shirt that Killer had helped pick out for him. Ever since Law had entered the car and laid his eyes on the marvel that was Kid in a suit, he had felt his typical attraction increase tenfold. Funny how a different clothing style could trigger hazy arousal and lust.

Kid mumbled his thanks, although he was clearly uncomfortable in the suit, his leg jumping in place after he had parked the car in the carpark. Law noticed that he was fidgeting in excess, pulling at his collar, constantly buttoning and unbuttoning the top button of his dress shirt, picking at the strings of thread at the cuffs of his jacket. His black tie was slack, the loop riding so low around his neck that Law could fit his fist easily though it. Still, it was an undeniable truth that Law’s boyfriend looked downright _sexy_ dressed up so formally. He was so used to seeing him in casual attire that mainly consisted of combat boots and different colours of the same style of khaki shorts, so the change was entirely welcome. Kid cleaned up nicely, and Law was having a hard time keeping his hands off of him the entire ride to the restaurant. He was having an equally difficult time to tone down his flirtatious advances, which were in full force tonight, much like they had been the very first time they had met. In this instance however, Law was the obvious flirter.

“I can’t wait to take this stupid suit off.” Kid responded, removing his keys from the ignition. He cast his gaze towards Law, who too was dressed to the nines. He had donned a similar looking suit that Kid had complimented him on earlier in the day, the garment having spent most of its time tucked in the alcove of his closet until a special occasion called for its use. Both suits were traditional black with a classic white undershirt, completed with a long black tie and freshly polished leather shoes.

“Hm…” Law mused, leaning against the console of the car to plant a kiss against Kid’s cheek. “Would you be so hasty to remove it if I asked you to fuck me while wearing it?”

“Ha!” Kid chuckled loudly, turning in his seat to nudge Law’s forehead with his own. “You like it that much huh?”

“Mmm, indeed. You look spectacular.” Law admired him again, swiping Kid’s bottom lip with this tongue, asking for entrance to his mouth. Kid accepted the sweet offering, opening wide to allow Law to slip his tongue inside and kiss him fervently. Kid let out a noise of contentment as he cocked his head to the side, Law taking control of the action and pushing himself further across the console to deepen their connection, reaching up to gently caress Kid’s cheek as they made out passionately.

A surprising noise in the form of a repeated tapping on the top of Kid’s car had the two of them jumping in their seats. They parted from each other to see that Nami was smirking at them through the passenger-side window. She was dressed beautifully, he gown a rich, shimmering green. Across her shoulders was a powder white faux fur scarf, matching the elbow length white gloves she wore. In true Nami fashion, she was glittering from the jewellery she had decorated herself with; large emerald gemstones hanging from her ears, a silver necklace that wrapped around her thin neck and dangled down to the dip in her breasts that were scantily covered by her fabric, rings on her gloved fingers, the works. Luffy – fresh-faced and bright-eyed – looked shockingly well-put together, standing at Nami’s side, one arm looped around her own one. Nami definitely had a hand in picking out the outfit, his light sea-green dress shirt the light companion to her deep coloured gown. His pants looked ironed, and although the suit jacket he had was crumpled from his naturally tight hold he had on it in his hands, Luffy looked fantastic. His signature straw hat wasn’t forgotten even in the most formal of events, hanging on a piece of string around his neck. He grinned mischievously at Kid and Law in the car, his _“shishishi!”_ laughter loud enough to be heard inside. Kid swore under his breath before lowering his window with the mechanical switch, attempting to look threatening as he glared at the two for their interruption. Law was sure that if Kid’s neck and cheeks weren’t beginning to flush pink from arousal he’d have succeeded in putting up an intimidating front. “What do’ya want?” Kid asked gruffly.

“Hohoho. Well. Law. Kid. As much as I’d _love_ to see the two of you go at it, now’s not the time to be getting carried away,” Nami warned them in a playfully sing-song voice, wagging a finger encrusted with a shiny ring. “You don’t want to miss the ceremony do you?”

“N-no, of course not.” Law stammered, a hand covering his mouth in embarrassment while Luffy continued to chuckle away, pointing at the two of them in the car.

“Tarao and Jaggy sitting in a tree! _K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!”_

“Jesus and Enel, would you look at the fucking time, guess you two should go before you’re late for the ceremony. We’ll catch up in a damned minute.” Kid called through the window, mid-way through raising it upward and signifying that he fully intended to finish what he had been starting with Law before even thinking about moving from the car.

Nami raised an eyebrow, the coy smile on her face stretching wider. Oh dear. Law was no stranger to that expression, having seen it on Nami’s face before she made some kind of lewd, inappropriate comment many times. She had that same smile when she had pushed him into the dressing room of the lingerie shop, ordering him to model the panties and outfits she had planned out for him. He was too late to stop her when she opened her red painted lips to direct a blow to Kid’s ego. “Oh dear. Law must be disappointed if you only need a _minute._ Isn’t that right Luffy?”

Luffy laughed even louder, apparently understanding the joke as he gripped Nami’s arm with one hand and smacked his knees repeatedly with the other. Law choked on his own fucking spit, clearing his throat and mentally blaming the loss of Luffy’s innocence on the relationship he had with a lecherous woman such as Nami, while Kid barked out a “WHAT THE FUCK!?” in anger at the giggling red-head.

“Law seriously, as scrumptious as your boyfriend is you can’t tell me that he’s all that great if he only needs a minute to get you off~”

“GODDAMN DEVIL WOMAN SHUT UP-!”

“Shishishishi Jaggy your face and hair are the same colour!”

“YOU STRAW HAT WEARING BASTARD I’LL KILL YA!”

“Holy Mariejois above,” Law mumbled to himself, listening as Kid bickered with a cackling Nami, his head and shoulder practically halfway out the damned window. Gently, Law leaned over the gearshift console and pulled lightly on Kid’s suit jacket, coaxing his boyfriend away from the couple outside.

“I’m joking! I’m sure you show Law _hours_ of fun Kid.” Nami dismissed with a wave of her manicured hand, cosying up next to her boyfriend and shuddering a little from the chill of the outside. “But time is a luxury we don’t have right now! So save it for the after party. Let’s go.”

Kid grumbled under his breath, exiting the car and immediately lighting up a cigarette. Law left too, readjusting his suit and patting down the lapels before letting out a shuddering sigh, his warm breath blowing out into the cold air. It had snowed the night before, but not quite as heavily as the first snowfall had been in December. Instinctively, Kid reached out with his free hand and held tightly to Law’s, intertwining their fingers together. Law glanced down at their connected hands and smiled to himself. Ever since he and Kid had spent that wonderful Christmas together, he had become more accustomed to acts of affection and closeness in public, which was another new development for him. Small things, like the small steps he had taken when getting into the relationship with Kid; hand holding, shoulders touching, quick pecks on the cheek… Small, but significant.

Kid and Law’s shoes crunched onto the ground while the two made for the venue, Kid puffing away on his cigarette, the annoyed look on his face still present, but subsiding with every step. “Goddamn she’s got spunk.” Kid said about Nami, watching as the woman sashayed away with Luffy’s arm wrapped around her shoulder to keep her warm from the cold. “I like it, just not when it’s directed towards me. Goddamn, I had no come back to that.”

Law chuckled lightly. “She tends to render many people speechless,” He said to Kid, seeing the entrance of the Baratie up ahead. There was a large sign at the front reading ‘closed for private function’, and a few winter flowers arranged in an arch around the door. “Think of it as a rite of passage. Nami can be brazen, but if she’s feeling comfortable enough to tease you about your sex life that means she’s already accepted you as a friend. You should see when she and Zoro volley. It’s truly a work of art.”

“Your friends sure are somethin’.” Kid told him, reaching for the handle of the front door of the Baratie, opening it up widely so that he and Law could enter.

The restaurant was elaborately decorated to the nines, fancier than Law had ever seen it. The decorations were simple, but followed a festive and appropriate motif for the occasion of a wedding. Twisted white streamers lined the high ceiling, wrapped neatly around the sloped wooden panelling and the winding bannister that led up to the second floor, where another flower arch had been assembled. The second floor of the Baratie was cleared, acting as the stage for Zoro, Sanji, and the officiator, with the best men, bridesmaids, and groomsmen seated on either side. The tables were covered in white silky fabric with a golden trim, the tabletops already lined with a spread of hors d’oeuvres made by Zeff’s chefs, since he wanted his best men to cater the event. Intricately designed porcelain vases placed in the centre of each table housed colourful bunches of flowers, giving a bright spot of colour against the stark white cloths. To the side next to a large dance floor, Brook – the resident musician – was playing a classical mezzo forte tune on his violin, accompanied by his band on keyboard, viola, cello, and hand drum. Law awed at the space, he and Kid being welcomed in by an usher who point them to their table. They would be seated with Killer and Penguin, whenever those two arrived, as well as Bepo, Shachi, Chopper, and a few others of their friends. Kid sat to Law’s left, and the second the red-head sat down he immediately reached to play around with the collar of his suit jacket. His lips – painted a wonderfully rich red today – moved as he muttered inaudibly about how much he hated feeling so constricted.

The Baratie was already quite crowded, but it soon reached its maximum capacity. Zoro had confessed he hadn’t wanted anything large, but eventually relented since there wasn’t avoiding it considering how many people the two of them knew together. While Zoro didn’t have any family, his instructor in kendo and taekwondo – a dark haired man named Mihawk – had a table alongside a few of Zoro’s trainer buddies. Most of the tables were for Sanji, the man having many friends and acquaintances due to his prestigious reputation and popularity. His sister, Reiju, had also travelled down from Germa to attend the reception and take photos and videos to take back to their mother, who was too weak to be there in person. Since Zoro and Sanji were already legally married, there would be no paper signings, but to make it as full experience to celebrate with their family and friends, they would stage a repeat of their vows and exchange new rings, courtesy of Nami. 

“You really need to stop picking at your suit. You’re going to ruin it.” Law said to Kid, who lost his battle with his heavy suit jacket and was currently taking it off. He messily hung it on the back of his chair.

“I hate that thing.” Kid said, already feeling better.

Law sighed, making a face at how carelessly his boyfriend had left his jacket. He reached across to neatly straighten it out. “It’s just for a few hours- _Eustass-ya,_ you can’t take off the tie-!”

“I don’t like shit ‘round my neck.” Kid mumbled, his fingers still on the round part of the tie, though they had stilled in their attempts to remove it at Law’s words. “Makes me feel like I’m choking.” 

Law nodded, understanding in a way. He didn’t particularly like being choked – if it wasn’t being done correctly and safely, that is – but there was a huge difference between the crushing grip of another person’s fingers curled around a neck and a simple tie that could be loosened enough so as not to be felt.

An idea struck him, and Law reached out to hold onto the bottom of Kid’s tie. “Eustass-ya,” He started saying, lowering his voice so that only his boyfriend would be able to hear him. “If you keep it on, then I can do _this.”_ Law tugged Kid’s tie forward ever-so-lightly to cross the room between them and connect their lips together in a short, sweet kiss. It was softer than the one they had shared in the car earlier, but just as successful in enrapturing Kid. Enough to distract him from his current mission to rid himself of his dressy clothing too, which Law counted as a victory.

“Goddamn, now that there’s tempting,” Kid muttered against Law’s lips when they broke the kiss. He brushed his own rough lips against Law’s soft ones, the tips of their noses grazing from their closeness. “Fine. Just for you, beautiful. I’ll keep it on. But after tonight, it’s going in the damned bin.”

“What a waste of perfectly good fabric,” Law tutted, his forefinger and thumb still rubbing at the bottom of the other’s tie as he leaned in closer, his lips brushing the shell of Kid’s ear. His tongue brushed over the lobe, where a few semi-closed holes provided evidence that once upon a time, Kid had many ear piercing that were removed a while ago. “Especially since I can think of at least three places where a tie would be more useful than in a bin.”

“Oh?” The low rumble emitted from Kid’s throat had Law almost shivering, and he tightened his hold on the tie as he felt the blood rush to his dick from the noise alone. “Come on then. _Enlighten me.”_ Kid whispered back suggestively.

“Keep your tie on until we get home and I’ll think about it.” Law responded in a sultry purr, releasing the fabric and drawing back, taking delight in how the other’s excitement shone so obviously in his eyes. The way his boyfriend’s pale neck was slowly colouring pink from their heated discussion was absolutely delicious to Law. He’d love to run his tongue over Kid’s flesh, wanting to taste every expanse of his neck, taste him like how the other did to him so many times-

“Hey! We’re here! Traffic was bad, did you find a good parking spot?” Penguin greeted from behind Law, plopping himself down next to his friend, seemingly unaware that the two were seconds away from giving in to their base desires and sucking face in the middle of the Baratie. Kil however, _did_ seem to notice, the sides of his twinkling eyes creased in amusement as he glanced between Law and Kid. Interestingly, he still wore a facemask; a black material one instead of the disposable medical ones he favoured for everyday wear, that didn’t clash so terribly with his dapper suit. Unlike Kid, Killer had a preference for wearing dressy shirts, even ones with frills that his best friend teased him about frequently. He had a neat and debonair look about him, his blue stripped shirt freshly ironed with a tie correctly around his neck. His long blonde hair, usually untamed and unruly, had been brushed back in a stylish up-do that framed his face. Penguin was dressed similarly, and Law realised then that he never really had seen his friend in a fancy suit before. He looked handsome, his fluffy hair teased without looking messy, and his suit more of a rustic beige colour that complemented Killer’s darker outfit well. 

Law ignored the pointed look that Killer gave him, but Kid, proud as ever, smirked widely at his best friend. Honestly, Law wondered if the two were telepathic and hi-fiving in their heads or something. It was amusing and slightly disturbing how his boyfriend seemed to share a brain with his best friend, especially when they had – on more than one occasion – displayed a magical talent of finishing each other’s sentences and thoughts in completely random conversations and situations.

Obligation to be on his best behaviour for his friend’s wedding took precedence over sexual desire, so Law had to save the flirting with Kid for later. Turning to Penguin, he and his friend were soon engaged in conversation while the Baratie continued to fill with wedding guests. When it was time for the ceremony to commence, the master of ceremonies for the evening cleared his throat into a microphone. “Honoured guests, please take your seats,” The host politely requested. “The wedding of Roronoa Zoro and Vinsmoke Sanji is just about to start.”

\----------

The sound of loud applause filled the space of the Baratie, combined with cheers and whistles from the crowd as Zoro and Sanji finalised their ‘I do’s’ and exchanged their rings, ending the formalities of the evening with a lovingly shared kiss. Brook and his band played a springy version of the Wedding March as the not-so newlyweds turned to the cheering guests, lifting their hands in a wave. Zeff, who had been on the second floor with Sanji’s party, pat the side of his eyes with a handkerchief, unable to stop the flow of tears that painted his grinning face. Law’s smiled up at the two of them, heart swelling with happiness for his two friends as he held onto Kid’s hand underneath the table. Kid ran his thumb over Law’s knuckles, watching the ceremony quietly, betraying nothing of his inner thoughts on his face. Law wanted to ask Kid if he had been alright with coming along; Kid was part of their friendship group and was Law’s boyfriend, but he had shown discomfort from before they even left the apartment. Filing that conversation away for later tonight, Law reached for his wine and sipped it deep as Zoro and Sanji walked down the staircase to the dancefloor for their first dance, the lights of the Baratie dimming to provide a romantic atmosphere.

Law sighed happily, resting his forehead on Kid’s shoulder and looking on while Zoro and Sanji held onto each other to the new music played by Brook. It seemed invasive watching such an intimate moment, but Law found himself analysing the happy couple as they positioned themselves into the starting point of a waltz. Sanji was leading, though that was to be expected; he was a natural dancer and was quick on his toes whereas Zoro was the complete opposite. As lethal as the green-haired man was in one of his fighting matches, he was inept when it came to dancing. It showed on Zoro’s face that he was in deep concentration mode, eyebrows creased in a frown and tongue sticking out from between his lips as he kept his gaze on where he was stepping. Sanji didn’t mind at all, avoiding the disaster that could stem from Zoro’s two left feet effortlessly, watching his husband indulge him in a waltz with a soft expression.

Soon, the MC announced that other couples were invited to join Zoro and Sanji for a slow dance. Nami and Luffy practically teleported to the dancefloor, Luffy not doing as good of a job as Zoro was in not stepping on his partners toes, but enjoying himself all the same as Nami led. Others joined very soon after, and soon the dancefloor was filled with couples.

“You gonna make me dance?” Kid mumbled to Law in a soft voice, watching as Penguin dragged a helpless looking Killer off to dance with him. “’Cause I’m telling ya now, I don’t know how.”

Law shook his head, cheek still plastered against Kid’s shoulder. “No, it’s alright Eustass-ya.” He responded, slightly disappointed. Law preferred to hang back during party events, situating himself in the role of an observer rather than a participator; however, this was a wedding, and the dancing here was more up to his speed in comparison to the fast-paced electric beats his friends were mostly into. It was slow, intimate, something that he craved deep down in his lonely soul. Although Law wasn’t typically interested in engaging with being in the spotlight, he found that a part of him _did_ want to be up on that dancefloor with Kid, and share in a moment like this with the only person he had ever had such strong feelings for.

Tensing next to him, Kid was quiet for a moment before shifting in his seat and standing with a huff. His hand was still entwined with Law’s, and he pulled the raven-haired man up with him. “Come on.”

Law didn’t have it in him to protest as Kid made a beeline to an empty spot in the dancefloor, his heart hammering in his chest as they stood face-to-face. Law inhaled heavily, smelling the familiar musk and smoke scent of Kid, his face catching the dim lighting in ways that accentuated his sharply chiselled jaw and deep-set eyes. “I don’t really know how to do this.” Kid admitted gruffly. “Do you want me to follow you?”

Hands found their way to settle on Law’s waist, lightly drawing him closer. Law swallowed thickly, reaching up to grip Kid’s shoulders, smoothing out his dress shirt in nervousness. “I don’t know either.” He said.

Kid chuckled, his Adam’s apple bobbing from the movement. Law smiled, resting his head on the other’s chest, this position being one his absolute favourites. Any chance Law had, he loved to be close to Kid’s chest so he could listen to the steady-beating heart that lay within. The heart that was so full of affection for Law, that belonged to the most amazing man he had ever had the pleasure of meeting. “We could just stay like this.” Law suggested, wrapping his arms around Kid’s middle, his fingers resting against his spine. Kid’s hold on his waist tightened slightly while the man nodded, setting his cheek on the top of Law’s head.

It wasn’t so much of a dance as it was holding each other close and swaying in place, but it was perfect for the two of them. They didn’t need to do anything more than be in each other’s presence, living happily in the moment that was presented to them. Law’s eyes slid shut and he sighed with content while he and Kid moved side to side, their feet barely even lifting off of the floor. From behind his eyelids, Law saw a flash and heard the familiar clicking of a photograph being taken, and his eyes cracked open a little to see who it was. Perona was fluttering around with a camera in hand, capturing as many memories of the evening as she could. “That was a nice candid~” She said happily, holding up the device and positioning the lens at Kid and Law, who were both looking at her now. “Time for another. Smile!”

Law did, a small quirk of his lips while Kid smirked, baring his teeth comically and making his boyfriend’s smile widen in the beginnings of a laugh. The flash went off again and Perona promised them that she’d have a printed copy for them later before ghosting off to take more photographs of the couples dancing.

“You were supposed to look cute not scary, Eustass-ya.” Law chuckled, resuming his previous position of snuggling up to Kid’s chest. Kid kissed the top of his head, swaying once again to the music, hands not leaving Law’s waist.

“I can be both.” He responded, causing Law to laugh again.

It truly was perfect. Zoro and Sanji’s happiness from their marriage had been infectious, and Law was glad to be going through such a wonderful, joyous occasion with Kid. He couldn’t imagine doing something like this with anybody else, not even Smoker or any of his other exes. It didn’t feel right to picture himself so close with another person, the body next to him needing to belong to Kid otherwise he wouldn’t be dancing at all. Since he had come into Law’s life, Kid had slowly changed it for the better. He felt as though he were on the receiving end of a heart transplant, the type of surgery that Law was usually assigned to complete. The empty, black heart that Law convinced himself he had was completely replaced with a brand spanking new one, curtesy of his boyfriend. With Kid, Law was able to stitch up the jagged pieces of his broken heart, worn down from years of hardship and pain and grief. With Kid, Law felt lighter than a feather, and better about himself as a person. With Kid…

Law felt _alive._

And he was going to hold onto that feeling for as long as he fucking could.


	15. Tether

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law didn’t know what to expect when he opened the box. Maybe chocolate, which he would have accepted even though he didn’t particularly enjoy sweet treats. Perhaps it was jewellery, which Law would don proudly despite not being one for wearing lavish and ostentatious things simply because it came from his boyfriend’s generous gift. 
> 
> But he wasn’t expecting to see a black leather pet collar with a bell, with his name engraved on a stainless steel plate on the front in beautiful cursive writing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello! I'm terribly sorry for the chapter delay, this week has been overwhelming and stressful and I just haven't had the time to fix up the chapter to how I like! It's still not completely 100% great with me, but I'll have to revisit it at another time since it's late (lmao what's new//shot)
> 
> Thank you so much for your patience, kind comments, and kudos. I'm doing my best to get back to everybody who left one on the last chapter, but sorry again for any more delays. As usual, enjoy~
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 15: Mentions of past abuse (incl. sexual), mentions (briefly, one line) of self-harm, mentions of (main) character dealing with depression/dark thoughts, scars, cuts, bruises, childhood trauma, mentions of sex in positive & negative ways (dom/sub, toys, safewords, petplay), drinking, swearing, workplace harassment, personal distress.

**14th February 2020**

**Law’s Apartment >>> Grand Line City Hospital**

**8am**

** Five months remaining. **

The relationship between Kid and Law blossomed like a flower in the springtime. It was as though the pieces of a cosmic, other-worldly puzzle had fallen neatly and securely into place; separated, scattered edges joined to build a strong, supportive foundation, and the middle filled up slowly with each passing day of fond memories of their shared time together. Being with Kid was exhilarating for Law, stirring within him feelings he believed were long dead and buried inside of him. Experiencing loss as a child in so many formats had played a part in why Law was the cynical, faithless person he was today. His parents had always believed there was good in everything, and had worked selflessly to help others without expecting anything in return. They tried to pass this lesson onto Law, the young boy having believed them until their deaths and the subsequent events suddenly hit him with the crashing force of a tsunami, drawing him underneath dark waters where he was utterly lost, unable to breathe or see or hear or be. The virtue his parents had seen in the world had been washed out of Law’s mind from the moment he was left alone. He couldn’t see that positivity, anymore; only the harsh, crushing, unfair reality where goodness was as blessed rarity that did not grace his presence.

Even now, Law couldn’t comprehend how his parents had maintained that kind of attitude, especially during the Amber Lead pandemic which saw chaos and destruction within their small town of Flevance. The disease had been the cause of Law’s family’s death, and very nearly the cause of Law’s death had it not been for Corazon’s help in later years to help find a cure. Cora had been his last hope in humanity, but that fire had been snuffed out when the trigger of a gun was pulled and stole that life away from him. The last remnants of good in the world had died alongside Cora, snatched out of Law’s fingers by the man who was supposed to have been his saviour. How could one such as Law smile after that? Happiness and laughter and friendship were delusions, and far from his reach if they existed at all. He struggled for years to live with the pain and suffering that followed him like a ghost that couldn’t rest in peace, lonely in a scary world that wasn’t made for people like him. His mental and emotional state hadn’t ever fully recovered from the anguish and sorrow of watching his loved ones die when he was at such a young, critical age in his development. Plagued with dark thoughts about a future he couldn’t see occurring, afflicted panic attacks and bouts of crippling anxiety, and eventually becoming the fuck toy of a man he thought would protect him had left deep, profound scars that marred not just his body, but his soul, and Law had been so sure that there was no feasible way to heal them.

Forced to live alone in a world that Law could never trust again, his heart had been closed-off for many years to friendship and romance. Luffy and his friends had changed some of that, but the crux of being so helplessly solitary was still prevalent for Law. When he had allowed himself to be fucked by strangers in the early years of his release from the Dressrosa mansion, he had done so to sate the numbness within him, to fill the void that ate away at his resolution to go on, to reclaim some of the freedom he thought he’d never have again; his heart was never in it, and he’d soon forget the names and faces of those men he never planned on seeing again. Opening himself up to affection in the form a serious relationship had failed in the past too. Smoker, his police officer ex, stood out as the prime example of that. Smoker couldn’t give Law what he needed. The man was older, wise, had experienced loss of his own, but they couldn’t sustain their bond despite having that in common. While they were able to reminisce and honour those long gone, their healing processes were unsynchronised. Smoker had been able to move on and deal with his grief in healthy ways; Law could not, a slave to his past, weighed down by heavy chains to the memories that infused his mind. Their break-up hadn’t been inevitable, but when it did happen there was no love lost between them since none had really been there to begin with. Just slivers. Pieces. A peek into each other’s hearts. Not enough to sustain a relationship for longer than the nine or so months they had been together. After Smoker, Law had become complacent in acknowledging that relationships weren’t for him. He accepted it as another one of life’s delusions and was content in never needing to be in another one for the rest of his life.

That was, until he met Kid.

The stark difference between Law’s relationship with Kid compared to the others had been abundant from their first meeting. When the dust had settled after the two had first fucked out their sexual desire and lust, the yearning was still there. Law wanted Kid in any way he could have him, despite the hesitation that was skimming under the surface of his skin about the complications that could arise from that hankering in the future. He wanted – no, _needed_ – to know more about the red-headed man from the far exotic South Line, with the scars on his body and a smile that could move mountains. He craved for those powerful, calloused fingers to run up his skin and leave him burning like fire, make him _feel_ alive rather than mindlessly going through the motions of living. And even if Law knew that it could be a terrible idea come the anniversary of Cora’s death when he had to travel back to Dressrosa and confront the largest devil of his past, he had decided for once to take what he wanted, cross whatever bridges needed crossing when the time came, and live in the moment with the beautiful man who was slowly but surely opening up the heart in his chest.

There were complications at times, between them. Nothing came easily, nor should it be expected so. Law supposed this was always a possibility in any kind of relationship, be they budding and growing or old and established. Snapshots of particular events flashed through his mind as he pondered his friends’ difficulties over the years in their own struggles with their partners. He had seen these problems with Zoro and Sanji, Nami and Luffy, Marco and Ace, and even Franky and Robin. The couples that were so strong now, some that had strengthened their bond through marriage, had faced moments of backbreaking weakness that had threatened to ruin them. Law remembered the late-night phone calls from Zoro, his best friend’s voice shaky and gruff and close to breaking as he recounted his latest argument with Sanji and how their subsequent fight was definitely going to be the one that would end them this time. He had been there when Luffy, uncharacteristically quiet and forlorn, sat next to him at their favourite café and softly muttered about how he wasn’t sure how someone as amazing and talented as Nami could ever love him, confessing that he didn’t know what the hell he was doing in his first ever serious relationship. Law was aware of how blinding jealousy from Franky had put a strain on his marriage with Robin, and how stupid, drunken decisions by a young Ace had him crawling on his hands and knees begging for forgiveness from a hurt and pissed-off Marco. Law had been there for all these instances and more, doing what he could to comfort his friends, secretly breathing a sigh of relief that he didn’t have to worry about these kinds of things.

Interestingly… he _still_ didn’t have to worry about it, even though Law was now in a relationship. His disagreements with Kid hadn’t escalated to the extent of others he had been privy to. They didn’t fight with each other violently, and there was never any shouting or screaming or name-calling between them. Just quips of annoyance and sarcasm, slightly raised voices, nothing ever lasting long enough to be damaging or of deep concern. An apology from the at fault party would always follow shortly after, with an acknowledgement that they were still learning to understand how the other operated in the breaking-in stages of their relationships.

_“I’ve told you countless times to remove your shoes before entering my apartment, Eustass-ya! My floor is covered in grease!”_

_“Why don’t you want to introduce me to your head surgeon boss lady? Am I an embarrassment to ya or somethin’ just ‘cause you’re some fancy doc?”_

_“Eustass-ya, the state you left the bathroom in is unacceptable. If I see one more makeup palette or lipstick spreading excess colour on my sink again, I’m throwing the entire set out.”_

_“Law, seriously, I’m going to starve to death whenever I come over. Don’t tell me you have food when your fridge is fucking empty. Two pieces of mouldy bread with out of date cheese is not a damned meal.”_

Each dispute was solved within minutes. Kid learned to keep all his shit at Law’s apartment neatly packed away, Law started to stock his fridge with meals so that Kid’s stomach wouldn’t grumble angrily when he swung by after work in an already irritable mood. Law introduced Kid to the peers at the hospital that mattered to him, including Kureha and Ikkaku, and Kid made sure to take off his work boots and set them aside before entering Law’s home to avoid smearing the clean floors with oil and grease stains. Easy resolutions that were achieved with a small admission of guilt and apologetic kisses that led to comforting cuddles on the couch or passionate sex in Law’s bed, since Law’s apartment was where they spent most of their time. 

Law wasn’t used to that either; the easiness of a relationship, and sex that could be so gentle it was like gliding through air. The softness that Kid approached him with at times was just as breathtaking and thrilling as the rough penetrating sex he was accustomed to. Kid could make him come undone with barely-there touches, tender rocks of his hips, and butterfly kisses across his skin. He could take command as easily as he could give it, having no qualms about handing Law the reins and allowing him to control their pace or actions, a gesture greatly appreciated by the raven-haired doctor who had been denied of such power in all his sexual experiences. 

Kid was good to him when he was rough, too. Always respectful and mindful of what Law wanted, especially when they fell into playful scenes that explored dominance and submission and toys and bondage. Law enjoyed that play with Kid, slowly learning to trust him with his body and kinks. Kid could take charge over Law without making him feel uncomfortably degraded as had been done in the past with other partners, and knew where the boundaries of his control were. And he always fucking took care of Law before, during, and after their activities. Plus - although there had been no instance for Law to use it just yet – the prelude of their rougher sex would consist of Law reminding the both of them of their safe word, and Kid ensuring that Law was safe to use it any time he needed to. When they experimented with gags that would eliminate a verbal safety net, Kid still came up with ways for Law to communicate without the use of words. It came in the form of asking Law to squeeze his fingers if he wanted to stop, or using the system of ‘blink once to keep going, twice if you want me to stop’ if they were face to face. No matter how they did it – romantic and sweet, or brutal and indulgent of their basest desires, no matter the toys they used or scenes they fell into, Kid would take care of him and Law was thankful for that. 

While they had maintained a sturdy level of trust, there were still things that Law and Kid didn’t discuss. Namely, the physical reminders of their separate pasts that were etched into their skin in the form of black-inked tattoos and deep white scars. Law would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious about the scattered marring of Kid’s skin; what could have caused him to obtain that bullet shaped wound in his side? What about wrongly-healed burn on his shoulder? When did he get the jagged markings that raised the flesh of his once-smooth chest? Had his job as a mechanic in the South Line been so dangerous that it would leave him with broken and bruised skin such as this? Was he a victim of a random violent attack? 

Law was itching to ask, but didn’t. He kept his mouth shut because he knew if he opened up that dialogue, he’d be liable to have that same line of questioning directed at himself. He couldn’t fathom the idea of being such a hypocrite to inquire about another person’s markings yet keep a lid on how he obtained his own. Not only that, Law wasn’t sure on how to begin describing the parts of his past that had caused his scars. Where would he start? The faint self-inflicted lines across his thighs and arms from when the emptiness became too much? The more prominent cuts from Doflamingo’s careless traversing of his skin with a sharp knife? The cicatrix wounds from the beatings he received from Vergo and Diamante and Pica when he was training to be a mindless Donquixote puppet? No, there was no way he could reveal such a dark, disgusting past to a man who was his only hope for a bright and happy future. A gnawing voice in Law’s head would occasionally tell Law that Kid probably had as black a past as he did too, considering the state of his body, but Law couldn’t bring himself to start that conversation. To do so would bring forth the wave of emotions that he refused to uncap. Those recollections were best kept hidden in the deep recesses of his mind, under a lock without a key, never to be thought of again. 

Instead, the discussions of their past were kept at surface level. Law only answered what he felt were the basics for his partner to know about himself. Both parents dead, no relatives he kept in contact with, one sibling that had also passed away. Law made it known to Kid that he didn’t like speaking about Lami in particular as her death had hit him harder than most. His sister who he had sworn to protect as her older brother had been so young when she had succumbed to the Amber Lead illness, and Kid blessedly understood Law’s reluctance to talk about it, holding off on digging too deeply on how she died. He did tell Kid he was brought up with ‘carers’ that he didn’t speak with anymore, which – while untrue – was a safer narrative for the both of them. He mentioned that he had been homeschooled until attending university, and that he had been raised in the North Line but had never revisited his hometown after moving into the city. 

Kid had been slightly more forthcoming about his own life, revealing how his mother had abandoned him with his deadbeat dad who spoke with fists not words, and how he and Kil had become each other’s family when they realised the people in their lives they were associated with by blood weren’t worthy of that title. Law listened to the stories about how Kid and Killer had raised as much fucking hell as they could as delinquent teenagers with nowhere to go as a form of revenge on the universe for their shitty situations, and related to their dreams of an escape from their neglected treatment to the Grand Line City. They had more in common than Law though they did. Was that why it was so easy to talk to Kid? Because of that awful familiarity with feeling lost and alone in a world that had abandoned them? 

That was the extent of the past that they acknowledged. There were still things that Law knew he’d need to speak about – namely Doflamingo – and he was running out of time to find the courage to do so. The date of July the fifteenth was creeping up far more quickly than Law had realised, and he either had to break up with Kid before it arrived, or bare his soul to the man and risk losing it all anyway. 

That could all wait. It wasn’t the appropriate time to be thinking such negative and fearful thoughts. Not on the day that universally recognised romantic love; Valentine’s Day was here, and Law was actually excited to spend it with his boyfriend for the first time. 

Law had experienced Valentine’s Day with a lover before, though it had barely been a celebration. Smoker had insisted they stay home and order take-out for dinner because he hated crowds with a passion and knew that the restaurants in town would be packed to the rafters with lovers parading around with their public displays of affection, which he also couldn’t stand. Their one round of sex had been lacklustre and dull, neither of them having been truly invested in lovemaking. It was unspoken, but their relationship had declined tremendously up until that point. They had only stayed together on Valentine’s Day because it felt like an insult to each other to end it then. Not some three days later, he and Smoker had decided to part ways. 

This year, Law and Kid had made arrangements for Valentine’s Day, including a day trip out to a pier that was the location of the maiden voyage of a famous ship some few hundred years ago. However, an unexpected page from the hospital that morning for Law while the two were snuggled up in bed had thwarted those plans, putting their romantic celebration on hold. Kid – while clearly disappointed – knew by now just how important Law’s job was to him, especially with the teasing of a promotion that might be his in a few weeks. So, reluctantly, the red-head had offered to drop his partner off at work, and bid him goodbye for now with a chaste kiss. 

Law was equally saddened about the situation as he stepped into his office to organise himself for the day. He wouldn’t admit it aloud, but he had been looking forward to a cliché, cheesy, romantic Valentine’s Day. He wanted that movie-plot happy-ending celebration that hadn’t come his way before. He wanted to spend all his time with Kid, spoil his boyfriend who had been so good to him, much like he had done when the man’s birthday had rolled around in January. Instead, he had to suspend his desires in order to be in a workplace that he still deemed unsafe. The hospital hadn’t changed since Kureha’s retirement had been announced, with cutthroat doctors still endeavouring to drag one another down for the sake of a promotion they had a limited chance of obtaining. While there had been some changes in Law’s treatment by certain doctors – namely Caesar, who had backed off from being outright physically threatening to simply mumbling his grievances under his breath so Law could barely hear them – Vegapunk was still severely up his ass and following him around like a damned shadow waiting for him to fuck something up. In regards to his work-performance however, Law could safely say he was fully assured of his job security. He was confident enough in his abilities to know that he was passing Vegapunk’s assessment of his work ethic with flying colours, and couldn’t hide the smugness he felt when the old man grew increasingly frustrated with being unable to fault Law on anything he did. He had a strong rapport with his patients, could deal with mountains of paperwork efficiently, was adept in his surgeries, and was never tardy or unprofessional. Law hadn’t ever been so confident in keeping his job and possibly getting promoted for his hard work. 

“Hey Law!” Chopper called from the door to his office, poking his head through the doorway when he saw it wide open. Bepo was behind him, waving enthusiastically as it had been a while since the two had seen each other with how busy they had both been. Law greeted them with a smile, having just gotten ready to leave his office to check on the area he had been paged for. 

“Good morning. Are we together today?” Law asked, hoping that was the case. The day would be bearable if he was working with Chopper and Bepo. 

“Yes captain!” Bepo said brightly, using the nickname he had so affectionately used for Law. “It’s been so long since we shared a shift! I’ll be assisting you with surgery too!” 

“I’m just about to head to the prep room now to see what I’ve been rostered for.” Law told him. 

“I’ll join you guys! I want to see my mothe- I-I mean, Doctorine.” Chopper said, bringing up a hand to cover his mouth at his slip up. At work, Chopper liked to maintain a professional image, so although Kureha was his adopted mother, he preferred to simply address her as ‘Doctorine’. It was mostly out of respect – after all she had worked hard to get that position – but the young doctor didn’t want anybody else to think he was only successful because of freebies doled out by his mother, which the woman didn’t even do in the first place. She had wanted her son to learn to stand on his own two feet, and while she had given him advice when he needed it, she hadn’t ever used her high-standing position at the hospital to pull strings for Chopper. Of course, Law and Bepo and the rest of their work friendship group wouldn’t ever think Kureha and Chopper were exploiting the system, all knowing that Chopper deserved to be where he was today based on his expert skills as a doctor. But, the young doctor wanted to avoid making a blunder like that with someone who might have it out for him. It was sad to see the hospital transform into an ugly workplace where doctors had no issue discrediting their peers and slandering their names, but that was the reality they were facing until the committee ended up selecting a new Head Surgeon. Law only wished they would hurry the fuck up, at this point not really giving a shit if it was him or not. As long as it wasn’t that idiot Caesar Clown, he didn’t fucking care who was in place. 

“Ready to go Law?” Bepo asked. 

Law nodded, adjusting the lapels of his coat and checking to see that his name tag was there before leaving the office with Chopper and Bepo, closing the door behind him. He was one of the lucky few that were provided with an office after achieving a workplace milestone, as stipulated in his contract there. It was a small space, big enough for a desk and chair and a couple of filing cabinets, but he was comforted by the knowledge that he had a private place to go when he needed a breather from his work stresses. The on-call room was shared between the doctors and nurses, and while it provided him with some reprieve he hadn’t felt comfortable being in there alone after his altercation with Caesar. It was far too public, even if it was restricted solely to the hospital staff. There was no need to lock his office door except when he was leaving for the day since all of his belongings were safely packed away in a locker that only he and the maintenance staff knew the combination too, and everything else he needed – clipboard, pens, stethoscope, pager, wallet – was on his person. 

Soon, Law was getting ready for surgery and fell into the familiarity of focussing on his tasks for the day. Thoughts of Valentine’s Day and his disappointment of being unable to celebrate it with Kid were pushed out of his head. The busy hospital had all his attention, ailing patients and prepped surgeries at the forefront of his mind. 

**\----------**

**Kid**

While Law was occupied at work, Kid drove back to the apartment he shared with Killer. He sighed as he pulled away from the parking space at the hospital, cranking up the sound system in his car as loud as he could have it without blowing his eardrums off to think about anything other his suspended Valentine’s Day plans. He drummed his fingers – nails painted a deep purple today – on the steering wheel, internally cursing up a storm at the lack of Law beside him. In the past, Kid couldn’t have given a flying fuck about Valentine’s Day, as it hadn’t ever meant a goddamn thing to him. Growing up as a child from a staggeringly poor and broken family at the lower end of the socioeconomic class, he hadn’t ever seen the point of celebrating a day of love when all he was exposed to was undiluted hatred from the people around him. His mother and father’s screaming matches could be heard from down the street, broken glass making indents in the walls from where they were thrown so violently, his father unbuckling his belt and bringing the leather down upon mother and child in drunken anger. Kid suspected that any kind of love between his parents died long before he was ever born, so why the fuck would he care about a day that glorified something that he didn’t believe in?

Those childhood thoughts had diminished however, now that Kid had discovered that there _was_ someone he was looking forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day with. Even if he didn’t care for the major revelry and theatrics that some other couples planned, just being with Law in his apartment would have been enough for Kid. It sucked major balls that his boyfriend was tied up at the hospital right now, and he wanted nothing more than to whisk him away in his car and just _go_ somewhere where they could be together.

Reaching his building, Kid killed the engine of his car and took the stairs two at a time up to his apartment door. He twisted the knob and had the door opened about halfway before pausing his entry into his home when a very loud moan wafted into the entrance from Killer’s bedroom.

“Oh _Killer~_ More- _yesss~!”_

 _Well goddamn._ Kid thought with a smirk. Sounded like Killer was getting his ass laid and rockin’ Penguin’s world. _Good for them._

As ecstatic as Kid had been to find Law for himself, he was equally happy about his best friend settling down too. Penguin was the perfect match for Killer, down-to-earth and easy-going to Kil’s seriousness and quiet nature. Kil had been forced to grow up quickly, mature earlier than most because of his mother’s addiction to pills and drink that left him virtually independent as a young teen. Penguin was the carefree spirit that Killer hadn’t been given the luxury of experiencing for himself, and provided him with love and affection that he had been deprived of most of his life. Killer was now able to trust Penguin in a way he never had with others, comfortable enough with removing his facemask around the man and exposing the facial scars that he was incredibly self-conscious of. Kid had assured his best friend that his worst fear of Penguin becoming disgusted and leaving him after seeing his disfiguration wouldn’t come true, and had been proven right about that considering the two were still together and stronger than ever.

Kid chuckled lightly as another wanton moan from Penguin emitted from the closed door of Killer’s room, though his chest did tighten with envy. That could have been Kid and Law reaching the heights of ecstasy right now, had the stupid hospital not stolen his boyfriend away so rudely and unexpectedly. _He’s helping people. He’s doing what he loves. He’ll come back to you when he’s done._ Kid had to remind himself, slowly allowing his irrational annoyance to ebb. It wasn’t as if those patients at the hospital had control over when they fell ill, so there was no point in dwelling on the proceedings of the day.

Sighing heavily, Kid quietly entered the apartment and softly shut the door behind him. He made his way to the living room, where the sounds of Penguin’s moans and Killer’s grunts of approval were fainter. He fell back into the couch, reaching for his pack of smokes and lighting one up while hoisting his feet up on the coffee table. Not sure what else to do but wait until Law was done, Kid reached for the remote to switch the telly on. He lowered the volume so as not to bother the happy couple making the bed creak violently in Killer’s room, and mindlessly flicked through the channels while wondering if there was some way he could still make this Valentine’s Day a special one for himself and Law when the other got off of work.

A good hour later, a very sexed-up looking Killer waltzed out of his bedroom in his birthday suit. He took one look at Kid on the couch and jumped back in shock, his hand reaching to cover his exposed junk, the other hand pointing an accusatory finger in his friend’s direction. “Dude, how the _fuck_ long have you been there!?” Kil shouted before turning his head behind his shoulder. “Peng! Kid’s being a fucking pervert, don’t come out here without some boxers or pants!”

Peng’s response was an awkward high-pitched yelp, noises of him scrambling away in Kil’s room following shortly after.

“Pfft, like I haven’t seen or heard it all from you before.” Kid said, picking up a cushion from their couch and chucking it in Kil’s direction. The blonde used it to cover up his crotch, sticking up his middle finger at his best friend.

“You have your own boyfriend, why the hell are you perving on me and mine?” Killer asked him with a sigh, scratching the back of his head. His long blonde hair was a mess, tussled and knotted, and there was a light dusting of pink across his scarred cheeks from what would have been quite the exerting hour. Kil walked to the couch, plopping himself next to Kid and spreading his legs wide.

Kid looked at him with a disgusted sneer, scooting away and shaking his head. “Hey man, I know I’ve seen it all but you don’t gotta flaunt it in front of me.” He said.

“Need I remind you once again of what you put me through in Sabaody when you man-whored your way around all the damned brothels you could find?” Kil grumbled. “It’s like you were allergic to clothes back then. I recall you answering the door naked and the pizza delivery guy dropping all our food.”

“Ain’t like you were any better when we went to Arlong Park that one weekend.” Kid teased. God, he and Kil had been fucking wild back in their heyday. While not all of their past moments in Big Mam’s gangs were looked upon with fondness, the crazy adventures with just the two of them were treasured memories. “’Sides, Sabaody is long behind me. I’m a fuckin’ gentleman now, bitch.”

“And you’ve got the vocabulary to prove it.” Kil said with an eye roll. “Anyway, aren’t you supposed to be with Law?”

Kid’s mood soured again, and he mumbled unhappily about how their plans had been cut short due to Law’s work obligations. Penguin – now fully dressed and incredibly flushed in the face – joined the two on the couch in the middle of Kid’s explanation, settling himself next to Kil and listening to Kid’s rant. “He was paged for the ER? Yeah, he’s going to be there a while since we’re lacking surgeons in that particular area.” Penguin said apologetically, knowing just how brutal those unexpected summons to the Emergency Room could be.

“I figured.” Kid said with a sigh. “We were gonna have lunch at the Raftel Pier. I made reservations and shit for it.”

“That sucks man.” Kil told him, reaching across the couch to clap Kid’s shoulder a few times supportively. Kid let him, despite the fact that Kil was still buck-fucking-naked and his cock was now suddenly very exposed from the cushion shifting with his movements.

“’S fine. I’m sure we’ll hang out when he’s finished.” Kid said with a shrug. Just being with Law made him happy; they didn’t need the pageantry of a fancy dinner or undying declarations of love to relish in their time together. They hadn’t even said that they loved each other yet, anyway, so there wasn’t much pressure on that end as far as Kid was concerned. “And the reservations shouldn’t go to waste just ‘cause me and Law can’t go. You guys take them.”

“Oh Kid we couldn’t do that!” Penguin exclaimed. “Raftel is such a popular area, _everybody_ wants to go there on the big holidays! It must’ve taken you so long to get a table.”

“Nah, go and enjoy yourselves. Law and I’ll find something else to do.” Kid insisted, bringing out his phone. He forwarded through the email with the reservation barcode to Kil, Penguin excitedly gripping his boyfriend’s arm and thanking Kid profusely for the gift.

“So what are you going to do today all alone?” Kil asked him.

Kid hummed, leaning against the back of the couch and swinging one boot over his knees. “Dunno. Probably watch some porn and jack off.” He admitted, receiving a loud snort from Killer in response. “Or I could go to the store and grab something for Law.”

“You haven’t gotten him anything for Valentine’s Day yet?” Penguin asked, raising an eyebrow.

“We said that we wouldn’t do gifts ‘cause we kinda went crazy with them already.” Kid explained. After Christmas, New Year’s had followed and with that, more presents. Then during Kid’s birthday in January and their one-month anniversary, there had been even more exchanging of gifts. It felt as though the two were swimming in wrapping paper and ribbon at this point. They decided it would be best for Valentine’s Day to pull the brakes on the physical objects, and do something different. A lunch date on the most famous pier in the Grand Line City was the perfect way to do so.

“Since your plans have changed, why don’t you surprise him at work?” Kil asked.

“Hmm…” Penguin mused. “Law doesn’t really like to get interrupted when he’s working. He super focussed and in the moment, so he probably wouldn’t be able to process that you were there when he’s got his next surgery on the brain. But…” Penguin’s eyes brightened. “You could leave something for him in his office. He only goes there when he needs to take a break, so he’ll be able to pay more attention there to a surprise.”

“That’s a great idea Peng,” Kil said softly, resting a hand on Penguin’s thigh and squeezing. Penguin beamed, leaning forward to kiss Killer’s cheek.

“That does sound good. Alright!” Kid said, standing up from the couch and smacking a fist against his open palm. “New idea. I’m gonna buy my boyfriend some flowers!”

“Is this before or after you jack off?” Kil teased.

“After. _Duh.”_ Kid smirked. “Need to take the edge off somehow, right?”

“Hm, then we could probably go again.” Kil suggested to Penguin, the hand on his boyfriend’s thigh stilling. “You up for that babe?”

“Yes please~” Penguin responded, already shifting his position to settle himself onto Killer’s lap. Kid smacked the back of Kil’s head, telling him to go get laid in his own room instead of right here on the fucking couch. His best friend lifted Penguin up and held him by his hips to take him to his bedroom while Kid made his way to the bathroom to have his own fun in the shower, excitedly thinking of how happy Law was going to be when he saw that Kid had surprised him with flowers.

And who knows? Maybe something other than flowers, too, if something shiny caught his eye.

**\----------**

**Law**

Law was exhausted, as usual. Fatigue was his constant companion at the hospital, and after three surgeries and many patient check-up’s, he was ready to throw in the towel and call it a day. Thankfully, relief came in the form of the next rostered surgeon half an hour before he was expected to, so Law was free to go home slightly earlier than had been asked of him. Checking his watch, having slipped it back on after removing it as usual whenever he was cutting into someone’s chest, he mentally tabulated the amount of time he had spent for this shift. It was just about to hit ten o’clock at night, meaning he had been at the hospital for… _Approximately 13 hours._ Law thought with a sigh. There was no way he’d have enough energy to do anything with Kid when he got home. Hell, he’d be lucky enough if Kid wanted to spend the night at all, considering it was already late and he had work bright and early in the morning at Franky’s Autoshop the following day.

Walking into his office, Law cracked open the door and was hit with the scent of something wonderfully sweet and pleasant. His grey eyes widened and he smiled in delight as he saw a beautiful bouquet of flowers resting in the middle of his desk, wrapped in red cellophane with a white bow tying them together. The bouquet was made up of gardenias, lilies, snapdragons, roses, and carnations of differing colours, standing out brightly against the plain wood of his desk. Making his way over, Law picked up the arrangement tenderly and brought it up to his nose, inhaling the fragrance deeply and feeling himself becoming calm and relaxed from the tantalising scent. A small card with messy handwriting dangled off of the bow, and Law chuckled as he deciphered the ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ message Kid had scribbled down.

In addition to the bouquet a small, delicately wrapped box was also set upon his desk. Law knew that he and Kid had decided not to exchange presents this time, but believed it to be incredibly thoughtful that the other had gone out of his way to leave something like this behind after realising they couldn’t spend the day together. Carefully putting the flowers down, Law reached for the box and turned it over in his hands, leaning back on the desk and smiling to himself as he began to unwrap it.

Law didn’t know what to expect when he opened the box. Maybe chocolate, which he would have accepted even though he didn’t particularly enjoy sweet treats. Perhaps it was jewellery, which Law would don proudly despite not being one for wearing lavish and ostentatious things simply because it came from his boyfriend’s generous gift. 

But he wasn’t expecting to see a black leather pet collar with a bell, with his name engraved on a stainless steel plate on the front in beautiful cursive writing.

Breath was stolen from his lungs. Dark-rimmed eyes widened in shock. The happiness and contentment that Law had been feeling when he stepped into the office and saw the flowers was sucked away from him like a vacuum when he opened the box and saw what lay inside. The doctor froze, his throat going tight as he stared at the contents of the box in bewilderment, his emotions shifting from excitement to confusion and then settling on a mixture of shock, fear, and betrayal. His tired, drained mind was unable to process why Kid – his beautiful, sweet, thoughtful boyfriend Kid who he had learned to trust with the most intimate of details – would fuck with him like this, after having promised him he’d never hurt Law or cross his boundaries.

It became hard to breathe as the unwanted memories from times past invaded his being. Doflamingo had a collar for him too, black and leather, ‘PET’ on the front. He had ‘gifted’ it to Law some years back, requesting – no, demanding, _ordering_ – he wear it for the entire duration of his stays at the Dressrosa mansion. It was the one kind of play Law hadn’t allowed to happen with Kid yet, who – up until now – had respected his wishes on the matter. He couldn’t understand… why had Kid… why? _Why?_

_“You look so beautiful with that collar around your neck, pet. Now anybody who sees you knows who you belong to.”_

No, not a collar.

Rather, a noose.

A tether to his past that wouldn’t fucking break.

Law’s stomach churned and he could feel the bile rising up the back of his throat. He wasn’t sure if he was going to even make it to the hospital bathrooms with how rapid his disgust was filling him, ready to explode. He dropped the box, the collar’s bell rattling as it fell onto the linoleum floor of his office and made a beeline for the door. He lifted a hand to his mouth, gagging and trying to keep everything down until he reached the bathrooms at the end of the hall, knocking into a few people who cried out in surprise at the sight of a well-known doctor barrelling down the corridors. Law ignored them all, his one-track mind focused on the task of finding a free toilet stall so he could get rid of this horrible, nauseous feeling of revulsion that was bubbling within him.

He barely made it in time, spitting out abruptly and vomiting after falling to his knees in front of an empty cubicle. It was bitter tasting, the scent just as bad as the taste, causing Law to continue dry heaving and throwing up the little food he had consumed today. Small white spots tainted his vision, swimming in front of him and making him feel dizzy and disorientated-

The door to the bathrooms slammed open, hitting the wall loudly.

“Hey you fucker! How dare you think you can get away with assaulting me like that!”

Caesar Clown’s shrill voice rang far too loudly in Law’s ears as the blue haired doctor stormed into the bathroom, enraged. Law barely registered the man’s presence, still hunched over the toilet bowl, his body trembling as he spat out what he hoped was the last of his throw up. Caesar was still fucking talking, pointing at Law and cursing his name and saying that he was going to report Law for harassment for pushing him out of the way so rudely. All a bunch of bullshit that Law couldn’t care about right now.

“Doctor Clown?” Law finally said, his voice gravelly. He cleared his throat and swallowed thickly, wiping away a trail of saliva that had formed at the corner of his mouth. He turned his head over one shoulder, blinking a few times in the hopes to clear his swimming vision, before narrowing his eyes at the man.

“What!?” Caesar shouted back, hands on his hips as he stared Law down, a sneer on his face.

“Shut the fuck up.”

That set Caesar off again, the man screeching at him about his unprofessionalism and going on and fucking on about how he was going to get evidence from the security cameras in the hallway to prove that Law had intentionally tried to harm him. Never mind that Law had looked _incredibly_ distressed and pale, and was clearly not feeling well. Truly, Law wasn’t in a sound frame of mind to give a shit about what Caesar Clown wanted to do, or worry on the repercussions of his actions if the doctor _did_ decide to report him to the higher ups. Instead, he steadied himself on the walls of the bathroom cubicle as light-headedness took him over as he stood. He splayed his hand on the wall, slowly bringing himself up and clearing his throat again, flushing the toilet and turning to the basins. His dark-rimmed eyes were bloodshot, tears having formed at the sides and streaked down his face from when he had thrown the fuck up, his cheeks still pale as though he were sick, a light sheen of wetness and sweat on his forehead.

“You just wait until Doctor Vegapunk gets wind of you having the nerve to assault me. You can kiss that promotion goodbye Law. Hell, maybe even kiss your _career_ at the Grand Line City Hospital goodbye too!” Caesar spat out, standing behind Law who had finished washing his face and was trying to take in deep, calming breaths. The insults continued stabbing into him, coming one after another from Caesar’s vile mouth. “You’re an unappreciative brat who needs to be put in his damned place, Law. I can’t wait until the day when I never have to see your face in this hospital ever again, you worthless _worm!_ Oh yes, that day’s coming soon _Doctor Trafalgar, just you wait-_ ”

“Stop it!” Law shouted back, turning to face the other doctor. He took a threatening step forward and Caesar – the fucking coward he was – took one back. “I don’t understand what your problem is with me, Clown, but I’ve done nothing to you in all my years here. So get over your fucking issues already and just leave me the hell alone!”

“Brat,” Caesar hissed through clenched teeth. “I’m still going to report you for pushing me into the wall-”

“Do whatever you want, Clown.” Law said back, his hands fisted by his sides while the blue-haired doctor huffed and stepped past him to exit the bathroom.

Had Law’s thoughts not been occupied by what he believed to be betrayal of his trust from the one person he had opened his heart to, he may have heard the quiet mumblings of Caesar Clown, whose hatred of Law knew no bounds. Underneath his breath, said to himself like a prayer, Doctor Clown whispered to himself;

_“I can’t wait for Joker to show you your true place.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Sorry to leave it at such a cliffhanger - but this is just over 7K words and more plot needs to happen that probably needs another chapter~))


	16. Patience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I apologise for the delay again, as well as that cliffhanger! This time of year is always so busy uwu I will try to get another chapter out in a week like I plan to. Word of warning, I will be going on a trip for a few days to a place with very limited internet, so I'm sorry again just in case that prevents me from posting again!
> 
> As always, I thank you so very much for the comments and kudos 🖤
> 
> I wrote this chapter with two songs in mind that really helped move it along and set the tone. If you want to listen to them, here are the links:  
> [Patience (Acoustic Version), by Take That](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UueZkWH8M7I)  
> [Wicked Game (Acoustic), by Stone Sour (cover version)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0kDuZ2mcyg)
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 16: References to past sexual and physical abuse, negative thoughts (specifically about heartbreak), drinking and alcohol abuse, swearing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He couldn’t get Kid’s betrayal of his trust out of his mind. It cut deeply into his soul to know that the person he had been willing to give his heart to could so easily tear it to pieces and step all over it, ruining the very foundation their relationship had been based upon. It hurt. _Hurt,_ damn it. Like somebody had dug their fingers straight into Law’s chest, tunnelled their way through his protective walls to his heart and clawed it into damned shreds. Law hadn’t hurt like this in a long ass fucking time, had almost forgotten how cruel people could be when they had the proper ammunition to use against him.
> 
> And Law, like an absolute idiot, was the arms dealer that willingly provided Kid with the very weapons and ammunition he could use to destroy him.

** Five months remaining. **

The walk home from the hospital was intended to aid Law in keeping his anger at bay but alas, it barely made a dent in the feelings that simmered beneath the surface of his skin. The sun had long set while Law had been working, bathing the earth in the darkness and coldness that appeared alongside the moon, but Law didn’t mind. He welcomed the biting cold like an old friend, breathing the crispness of the air about him deeply, letting it fill his lungs until he felt like they would damn near expand right out of his chest. It was a chilly night, stars specked lightly into the sky, obscured by the high-rise buildings of the city that prevented a clear view of the atmosphere above, so it _should_ have been somewhat relaxing. He hadn’t bothered calling a cab, having hoped that the nightly walk in the empty streets would soothe his frazzled nerves.

Newsflash, it hadn’t. Law’s brain was still buzzing like an electrical circuit, the current so potent he could practically hear the crackling and fizzing in his ears.

He couldn’t get Kid’s betrayal of his trust out of his mind. It cut deeply into his soul to know that the person he had been willing to give his heart to could so easily tear it to pieces and step all over it, ruining the very foundation their relationship had been based upon. It hurt. _Hurt,_ damn it. Like somebody had dug their fingers straight into Law’s chest, tunnelled their way through his protective walls to his heart and clawed it into damned shreds. Law hadn’t hurt like this in a long ass fucking time, had almost forgotten how cruel people could be when they had the proper ammunition to use against him. And Law, like an absolute idiot, was the arms dealer that willingly provided Kid with the very weapons and ammunition he could use to destroy him.

In the pocket of his coat Law had tucked away the physical evidence of Kid’s deception – the pet collar. He couldn’t leave it at the hospital, and the need for some kind of closure in the form of throwing it at Kid’s face and telling him where he could shove it prevented Law from getting rid of it yet. There was bound to be a confrontation of sorts when Law saw Kid again, so he had to keep a hold on the sick piece of evidence that was burning a hole in his coat pocket. The flowers that Kid had so ‘kindly’ gifted him alongside the collar had been thrown out of his office window back at the hospital. The leaves and petals that detached from the stem had fluttered lightly in the breeze, decorating the carpark in what looked like multi-coloured snow. He refused to acknowledge the beauty of it, a pang in his chest at the now-sullied memory of being so pleasantly surprised with that bouquet. Instead, Law had turned on his heel, signed himself out for the night and made way for home, refusing to look back.

When Law arrived at his apartment, he was still mad as hell. Any confusion and sadness that had come over him while he had been in the hospital had changed to that of rage directed at his boyfriend. His phone had chimed with yet another message as he entered his home, having been doing so periodically for about an hour now. Law had ignored his phone on his walk, opting instead to attempt to clear his mind with the fresh air and exercise, because he knew that it would be Kid messaging him. He was probably wondering what time Law finished work. Maybe offer to come and pick him up before seducing him into bed like he had night after night.

How utterly idiotic of Law to think that Kid actually cared about him all this time. All he had wanted was one thing, and Law gave it to him on their very first fucking meeting.

Law immediately regretted taking his phone out of his pocket, Kid’s name on the too-bright screen like an insult. Five messages, none of which he wanted to fucking read right now. Not until after he had a drink or a smoke or a shower or _something_ that would take the edge off of his frazzled nerves and emotions. He lobbed his phone across the to the living room, watching as it landed onto the plush couch and bounced off of the soft cushion before clattering to the floor.

Making his way to the kitchen, Law opened up the filled fridge – curtesy of Kid taking over his kitchen whenever he was over – and reached for whatever drinks he had stocked in there. There was a three-quarter full bottle of wine that he and Kid had cracked open a few days ago – each only drinking one glass before shifting from their relaxing activities to something more exerting – and a case of Kid’s favourite frothy beer that was still sealed shut. Law didn’t take the time to contemplate, reaching for the six-pack and taking a couple of the large cans of beer out. What was the saying? Beer before wine makes you feel fine?

Law hoped there was at least some truth in that statement, because he felt like utter shit at the moment. He knew that drinking wasn’t going to make everything okay, but goddamn it he needed just… _something,_ even if it was a temporary Band-Aid slapped on an overflowing wound. Law wasn’t fond of beer, but when he popped the seal and took a swig the bitter malted barley taste burning down his throat was greeted reverently by the doctor. He shoved a few more cans underneath his arm and took the neck of the wine bottle in his free hand as he made his way towards the living room, ignoring the chime of his discarded phone as he drank. He sat on his couch in silence, stewing in a symphony of internal emotion that raged like a thunderstorm. Law wanted to shower, get the stench of the hospital off of him and scrub his skin red and raw to rid himself of the feeling of disgust, but he couldn’t find the energy to move. He was worn-down, emotionally and physically, and the only thing he could register as giving him any form of solid foundation was the beer in his hands. And so, Law drank.

And drank.

And drank.

The concept of ‘regret’ became foreign to Law as he couldn’t string a single cohesive thought together by the time he was done with the alcohol. He seldom ever drank this much; Law would cap it after two, maybe three glasses of wine depending on who he was with, allowing himself to get tipsy at most. But never like this. Three empty beer cans were crushed and strewn about on his coffee table and there was a significant decrease in volume of the liquid in the wine bottle. Law was unsteady on his feet as he raised himself from the couch, hiccupping once and stumbling towards his bedroom in a stupor. His fingers shook slightly as he reached for the handle to his closet, wrenching it open to reveal his and Kid’s neatly folded clothes. Since Kid was over so frequently, staying days and nights at a time, he had brought with him from his own apartment clothes and toiletries, almost providing the illusion that he lived at the apartment with Law. Even the neighbours had become accustomed to seeing the fiery red-head hanging around the building and lobby, apprehensive of him at first due to his imposing stature and aura, but now greeting him in the hallways or the elevator if they saw him.

Law feels tears prick along the sides of his eyes before grabbing one of the stacks of Kid’s clothes in a huff. He tore them straight out of the closet, his throat tightening up as he threw them behind his shoulder, uncaring as they landed messily on his clean floor. He did so with all articles of clothing; underwear, pants, shirts, jackets, anything he could get his shaky hands on. He hiccupped again and sniffled. “Fucker!” Law said in a choked up voice, holding one of Kid’s shirts in his hands. This one wasn’t typically his boyfriend’s regular style; plaid in design, flannel in fabric, red and black and white in colour that looked so wonderful against his pale skin tone. Law had bought it for him, thinking he’d look so utterly handsome in the garment. Kid had obliged him despite complaining about looking like a lumberjack – without realising that that had been Law’s ulterior motive in the first place, as the other was drooling and swooning over that exact image in his mind – by wearing it during the passing winter months where they were cooped up in the apartment because the snow outside was unforgivingly cold. 

Law held the shirt up to his chest, inhaling it deeply, fresh tears springing anew. It hadn’t been washed yet but was still clean, and the scent of Kid was still strong in that particular item. Musky notes with a hint of smoke, that – despite still being so fucking _angry_ –engulfed Law in a blanket of security. He sobbed, scrunching the shirt in his hands. It was unfair. _So_ fucking unfair. With the emotions of unhappiness amplified because of his drunkenness, it felt like Law was mourning, shedding fat tears while sitting on his knees and clutching the leftovers of a loved one. Was it because loss made up such a large portion of his life in the past that it was just too easy to fall back into the motions of grief? And since when the hell had Law’s heart become so weak in such a way that he became destroyed and taken apart simply by a scent? And over a man who he was currently so fucking mad at?

Fucking unfair.

“Idiot Eustass-ya.” Law muttered to himself and hiccupped, letting the shirt slip through his fingers. He dragged himself on the floor across Kid’s messily scattered clothing crawl into his bed. He kicked the covers off, body burning up, eyes growing weary and heavy. It didn’t take long after he closed his eyes for Law to pass the fuck out and fall into a hazy, unsettled sleep.

**\----------**

Law remembered why he avoided drinking to excess when he awoke the next morning sporting a raging headache and a seriously bad hangover. He groaned as he attempted to work his sluggish limbs to lift himself off of his bed, the consistent throbbing in his head a reminder of his indulgent actions of the night before. Sure, being a lightweight when it came to alcohol didn’t help when he decided to drink as much as he had, but he really didn’t feel like that that much to do with it considering the fucking _amount_ he had consumed. And of course, as fucking expected, he didn’t feel any better than he had last night. Law wasn’t daft enough to believe one night of drinking would solve the persisting issues that he’d need to face with Kid eventually nor would it be a magical cure to change his emotional disposition, but he had hoped it would do something instead of make him feel even worse off than before.

He was nowhere near ready for visitors, but there was a persistent knocking on Law’s front door that had him shuffling to his feet quickly to answer. Immediately he was hit with vertigo, the walls and floor spinning in his blurred vision. He groaned, reaching out frantically with one hand to steady himself on the bedside table, a feeling of nausea swirling about in his stomach. _“Shit.”_ He cursed into the air, his forehead throbbing angrily from the sudden movement. Everything in his body seemed to ache, a combination of being on his feet from a thirteen hour hospital shift the night prior and the excessive drinks he had guzzled to drown his sorrows in. He has to close his eyes for a moment, the darkness he was met with grounding him slightly. More slowly and carefully now, Law opened his eyes and made his way once again to the door, which was emitting yet another series of urgent knocks.

Law didn’t bother with glancing through the peephole, but wished he had done so when he opened the door and was met with a smiling Eustass Kid. Dressed in the casual clothing that Law had become accustomed to seeing him in – long cargo pants, a band tee, and leather jacket on top – he still looked handsome as ever on the outside. Law now knew however, that the good looks and kind smiles did not extend beneath the surface, everything about his ‘boyfriend’ disingenuous now that he was able to see his true self. Law’s grey eyes narrowed as he took in his ‘lover’, mouth going dry as he swallowed the huge lump forming in his throat thickly. “Hey beautiful,” Kid greeted, lifting up a plastic bag he had been holding that smelt like food. “Franky switched my shift up to bring in a new mechanic on trial so I’m free all day.”

“…I see.” Law responded curtly, long, inky fingers tightening on the edge of the door He found himself unable to open it any further, but he couldn’t slam it shut yet either. Something was stopping him; perhaps the need for closure before properly and finally locking Kid out of his life for good.

Kid seemed to notice immediately that something wasn’t right with Law, raising a brow and cocking his head to the side as he took in the doctor’s exhausted looking state, including the gloomy, sullen expression and the bloodshot eyes with the dark bags beneath. Law internally cursed Kid’s perceptiveness, and wondered where the hell that particular characteristic had been when he decided to gift him with a ‘toy’ Law had previously informed him he didn’t feel comfortable wearing. “Are you okay beautiful?”

 _“Don’t_ call me that.” Law said sharply, for the first time rejected the compliments that Kid so often showered him with. And he had just been getting used to them too, after having spent so long not feeling as though he was deserving of them. Fucking hell, another step off of the ladder he had been climbing in his quest for love and appreciating his sense-of-self.

Kid’s eyes widened in surprise as Law opened the door the rest of the way and turned on his heel to walk inside. Kid followed in haste, putting the bag of food down on the nearest surface he could find before reaching the living room where Law was leaning against the back of the couch. Kid glanced around the room, noticing the empty cans and the wine bottle on the table. “You drink last night?” He asked Law. “Jesus, was work that bad for you?”

“Work wasn’t my problem, Eustass-ya. You were.” Law spat out, finding it difficult to keep his voice at an even level considering he was buzzing and teeming with rage. Once again, Kid was shocked as his boyfriend turned to him with mirth in his eyes.

“What the fuck did I do?” Kid asked him, wracking his brain, trying to pinpoint what he could have done to piss off Law so badly that the other had resorted to getting drunk and blaming him for his misplaced anger. The only interaction he and Law had yesterday was the time they shared in the morning and the car ride to the hospital when Kid had dropped him off at work. Even when Kid had had brought over his Valentine’s Day gift at Law’s office with Penguin’s help, he hadn’t seen his boyfriend at all. Could it be that Law was angry because Kid had gone to the hospital without Law’s permission? Law _had_ been particular about not involving too much of his work life with his personal relationships, but he couldn’t hate him over a visit where they didn’t even meet up, right? He wasn’t _that_ fucking pedantic.

“Your _gifts.”_ Law emphasised. “I’ve got no idea what compelled you to leave something like that on my desk but I was hardly amused. All this time I was under the impression that I could trust you Eustass-ya.” Law continued saying, his voice shaky. The boulder was back in his throat, tightening his airways and making it difficult for him to talk without sounding as though he were about to cry. He reached into his pocket for the box that was still nestled in the coat he hadn’t taken off before passing out, roughly opening it up and producing the leather collar. Law noticed that Kid’s face set in a harsh expression, forehead creased in a slight frown as he examined what was in Law’s hand. Desperately, Law tried to search for a look of guilt on Kid’s face to somewhat redeem him for gifting him with the collar, but there wasn’t a trace of it. His indifference was a further insult to Law, fuelling more of the raging fire within him. He continued speaking since Kid was quiet, not saying a damned word at the very obvious accusation Law had thrown his way. “You’re the one who made me write a list out of kinks and limits. You said time and time again that you’d never hurt me in the bedroom unless I ask for it, unless we talk about it beforehand. So why did you bring me _this?_ ”

“What the fuck, Law?” Kid finally said. Law’s headache seemed to increase twofold at the pathetic attempt of innocence, throbbing in the front of his forehead and behind his bloodshot eyes.

“Tell me, what were you thinking when you did this?” Law questioned. “That I would come crawling to you on my hands and knees like an animal? Call you my master? Be your pet? Because this shit,” Law shook the collar, the bell chiming with the movement. “Was _not_ on the table when we decided to be in a relationship! I’m nobody’s fucking pet; I’m a damned human being and I deserve to be treated like one! You can’t just enter my life, promise me the world, and then slap me in the face with the one… with the one _thing_ that…” Law choked on a sob, refusing to go on, letting the implication fester in the atmosphere. “Why? Why you idiot, _why did you ruin it!?”_

The air around them was filled with palpable tension, and it didn’t help that Kid’s mouth was tightly pursed shut, the man not saying anything. Law was panting lightly, his head still throbbing and his vision still swimming from his bad alcohol choices the night before, eyes stinging with tears that were freefalling down his face and landing on the soft living-room carpet below. His fingers gripped tightly on the collar, but his hand was shaking, making the bell beneath the engraving of his name chime. Kid continued to stare at him with that distant look on his face, his Adam’s apple quavered as he swallowed thickly. Law couldn’t take it anymore in the deafening silence, his nerves frazzled and emotions running at an all-time high. When Kid still didn’t answer his accusation, Law felt like he was teetering on the edge of breaking point. “Fine! Don’t say anything! Just take this crap and get the rest of your shit out of my apartment!”

Law sobbed, pulling back his arm and throwing the collar as forcefully as he could towards Kid. It jingled as it sailed through the air, landing squarely on Kid’s muscular chest before dropping to the floor. He collapsed onto the couch, putting his head in his hands, his entire form trembling from the crushing pressure of their confrontation and the swell of his emotions running high.

He heard Kid reach down and pick up the collar, glancing to the side to watch the red-haired man turn the item over in his hands. Finally, he made a move, approaching Law’s hunched over state on the couch and sitting beside him. Instinctively, Law curled up further on his self, moving his leg from where Kid’s thigh had touch it, slipping as far away as he could from Kid. The man set the collar down on the table in front of them before clearing his throat.

“Law, you need to listen to me very carefully right now.” Kid started to say, his voice unlike anything Law had heard before from him. It was deep and low, guttural and throaty, but there wasn’t a hint of the sensuality that it was typically partnered it when they were in the throes of passion. It sounded just… off, to Law. There was command in it, definitely, but it was also…

Dangerous.

“Get out of my sight.” Law hissed back.

“Law, look at me.”

Law’s shaking worsened, and he shook his head stubbornly. He couldn’t; one more glance at Kid’s beautiful face would render him weaker than ever. He was already in tears, had already tried to quell his emotions with alcohol, tried to sleep it off; but the thought of the man who had taken such good care of him all these months betraying him like this would ruin him further, and leave him into a sobbing, shuddering mess he’d have no handle of control over.

One of Kid’s hands found their way to Law’s chin, and he gripped it firmly. It didn’t hurt Law, but his weak body couldn’t do much to avoid it when the other tilted his head towards him, so that they were now face to face, close enough to brush their lips together. His eyes were squeezed shut, refusing to look despite Kid gently running a hand over his wet cheek.

“Why did you do it?” Law whispered again in a soft, hurt voice, feeling more vulnerable than ever before as more tears shed from his closed eyes.

Kid frowned deeply and Law could hear his breathing take a heavy turn. “Law, I need you to look at me.” He said again. “Please, beautiful. You need to look at me when I tell you this.”

Law waited a moment, biting his lip in contemplation before finally doing so. He was met with a gaze so fiercely intense he felt it burn into his core, the fiery, red eyes harbouring the glow of a thousand suns. Law sniffled, his voice wobbly as he asked again the question that he desperately needed an answer for. “Why, Kid?”

Kid’s frown deepened, and his grip on Law’s chin tightened. “I didn’t.” He responded back quietly.

Law sobbed again, trying to shake his head in Kid’s hold because he didn’t believe him. How could he? Trust was fragile, delicate, so hard to build, needing to take time and effort and patience to strengthen; but it was so terribly easy to lose, and one small action could shatter it like the pieces of a broken mirror. He had given his whole self – sans parts of his dirty, tainted past – to Kid over the course of their relationship willingly, had actually believed that the red-haired mechanic was the right person for him. But his faith was shaken, and Law was never particularly a believer of anything; so how, after this, could Law ever look at him the same? How could ever _trust_ him again, and believe a word that came out of his goddamn mouth?

In his state of post-drunk delirium, Law was ready to believe the answer would be never.

“Listen to me,” Kid repeated, now with a sense of urgency lacing his soft voice as he shifted his hold so both his hands were cupping Law’s flushed pink cheeks. “The only thing I bought you on Valentine’s Day was a bouquet of flowers. I promise you.” Gently, he brushed away some of the tears from Law’s eyes. “I wouldn’t… shit, Law, I’d never do that fucking shit to ya. Bring you something that’ll make you sad like this. I wouldn’t. I _couldn’t.”_

Law’s bit his bottom lip, staring into the other’s eyes and trying to determine if he was telling him the truth. Kid wasn’t angry or indifferent at all anymore, wearing instead an expression of worry, with his brows furrowed upward in a concerned frown. The rough pad of his thumb continued to gently brush over the softness of Law’s cheek, the repeated motion loving and soothing and everything Law had known the man to be in their few months of courtship. He sounded truthful and Law was torn on whether or not he was only believing such a thing because he so very much _wanted_ it to be true.

“Law…” Kid started saying again, sensing the other was still hesitant. “If you don’t believe me… Penguin can vouch.” He explained. “He came with me to pick out some flowers before his date with Kil, and then he went with me to the hospital later on so I could drop them off at your desk before he started his shift. If you don’t believe me, then you’d believe him right? I wouldn’t lie about that to ya.”

Law turned away, glancing between the collar on the table and at Kid’s worried face. The other was still stroking his cheek, holding him tenderly between his fingers, as though any sudden movements would have him breaking all over again. Law couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped his lips when Kid pushed his body forward to engulf him in a hug, finding himself unable to stop from wrapping his own arms around the other’s middle and returning the embrace. He sobbed again once, burying his face in the crook of Kid’s shoulder. Relief washed over him like a bucket of cold water as he let himself fall into the hug that he could always depend on to leave him warm and so fucking safe. Of course he’d ask Penguin about this too but he could sense it; the authenticity of Kid’s words, the indication that he was indeed telling the truth and hadn’t been the one who had left that awful reminder of his past for him to discover – it was there and it was true. “I-I thought… Eustass-ya, “I apologise-”” Law started to say.

“Shhh,” Kid muttered quietly, stroking his fingers up and down Law’s back, drawing invisible circles and swirls along the clothed-covered skin. “Don’t apologise.”

They embraced for a long time, having needed to shift their positions on the couch to make it more comfortable. Kid had leaned back against the cushion and armrest, drawing a sniffling Law up to his chest and cradling him gently, caressing him as a lover should, planting soft kisses on the top of his head in between whispered words of encouragement. When they parted, both glanced at the collar still resting on coffee table, prompting them to focus on the pink elephant in the room:

If Kid hadn’t bought Law the collar, then who the fuck did?

A blonde-haired figure flashed in Law’s mind, threatening to churn his now-settled stomach once more. The images of lying on a bed surrounded by pink flamingo feathers and looking up to see a sinister grin with too-white teeth set him on the edge of another fit of panic, and he had to remind himself of the guided breathing exercises Chopper had instilled in him to ensure he didn’t break down again. Kid was silent, contemplating, before asking Law about his ex’s and whether or not they’d be capable of this.

“I haven’t been with anybody since Smoker.” Law told him quietly.

“Did he know? About how you don’t like that shit?” Kid asked.

Law hesitated before shaking his head. “N-no. But he was older, and pet… petplay wasn’t his preference, anyway.”

“The hospital has a security guard, right? Do you know if they can get access to a recording of your office or something?”

“Eustass-ya…” He knew that Kid was trying to help him with this line of questioning, trying to identify who in his sexual past would want to attack him in this way, but Law had a feeling that wasn’t necessary. There was only… there was only the one person who had ever treated him like a pet, like a puppet, like an object, a pawn in and out of the bedroom.

Glancing at his boyfriend, who had a grim look on his face, Law forced himself to smile; though with how uncomfortable he was, it came out as a grimace. “There’s no need to worry anymore.” Kid opened his mouth to ask another question again but Law cut him off, wanting to end this conversation quickly. He knew now that Kid hadn’t been the one to send him the horrible gift, and while that meant there was someone out there who was clearly trying to intimidate him, that information was enough for Law to push the entire day out of his mind for the time being. “I’m fine now, Eustass-ya. I’ll just throw the collar away and be done with it-”

Law reached to grab the collar but his wrist was gripped tightly by Kid’s fingers, his hand shooting out from his side at the movement. Law’s eyes widened, as he took in the lack of emotion on Kid’s face, the furrowed brows of concentration and the simmering rage in his eyes. “No.” Kid said, his voice once again laced in the dangerousness from earlier. Law whimpered, realising that this was the first time he had ever seen his boyfriend so angry. This was different from the outbursts when they were stuck in traffic and someone cut them off, or when Kid was arguing with Luffy and Ace’s teasing of his too-bright red hair.

This was fucking terrifying, and a very clear display of the power Kid possessed.

The apology tumbled out of Law’s lips like a compulsion, a result of his baser instincts to protect himself from danger. “I-I’m sorry-” He said, attempting to pry his wrist out of Kid’s hold. “P-please don’t hurt…” _Don’t hurt me please I won’t survive if you hurt me like he did Kid-_

Kid’s expression blessedly softened, and his grip loosened. “Law, stop. You didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t have to apologise to anybody.” He told him gently. “Plus, it’s not you who has to say sorry. I do.” Law was quiet, hearing his heart rate increase its beating in his chest as the other brought his hand up to his lips and kissed his knuckles before releasing his wrist. “I’m… I’m pissed the fuck off at whoever fucking dared do this shit to you, and it’s making me a little crazy. ‘Nd you don’t need that right now.”

“Eustass-ya,” Law breathed, resting his hand on the other’s thigh. “I appreciate you wanting to help, truly. But… it’s okay now. Alright? I was more worried that it was you who had done it, but it’s not. So I can handle whatever happens next.”

“But you can’t just leave it like this Law.” Kid continued trying to convince him.

“There’s nothing more to do-”

“Of course there fucking is!” Kid snapped. “Your friends with cops aren’t you? Sabo and his girlfriend? Hell even that fuckin ex of yours works for the police. You could ask them to do some investigating at the hospital and ask about the sign-on sheet or interview the security or somethin’!”

_And risk having them look into my past and revealing my deepest, darkest shames? No, thank you._

“F-fine. I’ll speak with someone.” Law said quietly. “But please, let me take care of it. Don’t get involved in my business.”

That didn’t sit well with Kid, who stood from the couch. He paced the living room, glancing once again over the empty cans of beer and the sorry state of Law as a result of them. “I can’t just do nothing.” Kid announced with finality.

“Kid, please,” Law almost begged. “I promise I will take care of things, okay? This is most likely a one-off prank. I’m alright now. Hungover, but okay. And I can handle it myself.”

 _You are such a liar, Trafalgar Law._ The raven-haired man thought about himself. Of course it was untrue; he wouldn’t be okay now that this strange seed had been planted in his life. He was as far away from being ‘okay’ as the moon fucking was to the Earth. It was at this moment with a heart-wrenching realisation that Law understood that his life and his freedom to live it how he wished was all a game to Doflamingo – because he was the only person Law could think of that would be so cruel as to reopen the stitched wounds in his past. In their agreement this was the first time every the other had outwardly reached out to him on a date outside the 15th of July. Law didn’t know what that meant exactly, or whether his safety would still be assured, but he did know that it didn’t bode well at all. Like the ides of March, this was an omen that prophesied danger.

That being said, after knowing this information, Law couldn’t bring it up around Kid again. Kid – as wonderful and strong as he was – would be eaten alive by Doflamingo and the gang of merry fucking men that made up the rest of his family. He knew nothing of the dealings of a mob lifestyle, at how connected a gang could be, and how easily they could make a person in their way disappear. So how could Law tell him the truth about who the likely sender was of the collar? Even if this was some sort of sick prank at Law’s expense, who’s to say that Doflamingo wouldn’t take things a step further and torture somebody else? What if his next target wasn’t Law, but Kid? Or their friends? 

No, Law wouldn’t allow that possibility to come to light. He would dismiss this entire incident, despite knowing deep down that it would gnaw at his brain and affect his mental state for a while. He’d play a part in the ‘investigative’ period if it ever came up and would spin as many white lies as it took to throw his friends and Kid off of his scent, but ultimately his mind had been made up. He wasn’t going to say a word if he didn’t have to. He would suffer in silence, even if that meant swelling on the issue longer than healthy. So long as it would assure the safety of his friends, as long as they were spared from Doflamingo’s games, he would take it all in stride.

And so, Law would lie.

Kid seemed to consider Law’s words before huffing to himself and agreeing quietly, defeated as he sank back onto the couch. Law let out a breath he hadn’t realised he had been hoping, hoping that the other would listen. Sitting together on the couch in a solemn silence, Law fucking prayed that that would be the end of it.

**\----------**

Kid was a man who marched to the beat of his own drum. Growing up in a poor and broken home, and then falling into a lifestyle that wasn’t considered ideal had shaped him into becoming the unwaveringly strong badass he was today. A pinch of self-assuredness, a dash of stubbornness, and a sprinkling of defiance in the right places had been enough to keep him safe and alive, and came especially in handy when he was faced with a strong opponent or a difficult predicament.

Which is where he was right now.

Law was sleeping in his arms, his head curled up on Kid’s chest while his legs were tangled in between his own as they rested in his bed. The mixture of alcohol and stress seemed to have been enough on Law’s nerves to knock him right out when night fell, combined with Kid’s gentle fingers working through some of the nasty knots he had in his tense back. Kid had stayed at Law’s apartment the entire day, which was a surprise to him as he knew Law highly valued his solitude. He would have thought that his boyfriend would have requested some time alone after they two had come to somewhat of a ‘solution’ to the problem from earlier. Yet here he was, hours later, his boyfriend clinging to his frame as he blissfully slept off the day.

His breathing was soft, Kid noticed, as he stared up at the ceiling in the dark room. In and out, in and out, his chest expanding and deflating at a steady and relaxed pace. It was a contrast to the erratic hyperventilating pants Law had been releasing earlier in the day, when he had been accusing Kid of a crime he did not commit.

Kid’s thoughts were buzzing in his head like a hive of bees. He wanted to laugh at how his and Law’s roles were reversed for the first time, where it would typically be the doctor struggling to fall asleep while Kid snored and tossed and turned and gripped onto him tightly like a teddy bear. But he couldn’t rest, nor could his mind stop fixating on the collar with Law’s name etched into it that still sat on the man’s living room table.

Rage was threatening to overtake Kid’s emotions again, pooling beneath the surface of his skin as he sucked in a deep breath to calm down. He never really needed to put a cap on his feelings when he was working for Big Mam. _Anger is good,_ she’d say, with that toothy smile stretched across her plump face. _Embrace it. Let it guide your actions. The angrier you are, the more they’ll fear what you do to them._

Law had done that. Had looked upon Kid with an expression on his face that he hadn’t ever wanted to draw out of him; undiluted, vehement, stone-cold fear. It was momentarily, but the fleeting feeling had been enough to remind Kid of what he could truly become if he remained unhinged. What he was threatening to become once again now that someone he cared about was the victim of a deliberate attempt at intimidation.

A monster.

 _Don’t hurt me._ That’s what Law had been saying before cutting himself off, trying to prevent any more of his vulnerability from being displayed. However, the damage had been done. Kid was now aware that this wasn’t the first time Law had been put in a position where he had been physically threatened. That wasn’t what Kid was doing at all; blinded by internal anger at the stranger sending such a wicked thing, he hadn’t realised that it was so outwardly potent to the point where he was scaring his own boyfriend silly. Law’s friends had tried to warn him about his boyfriend having been in shitty relationships in the past, ones that that had fucked him up badly for years afterward. Hell Kid had even had some of it in writing, when the other had listed the sexual limits that Law himself had told him was based on ‘experiences he didn’t wish to relive again’. But this was the first time that he had seen the results of that past first-hand, and he didn’t like the images it conjured of his beautiful, stoic, proud doctor almost cowering in fright and fear and panic.

Mariejois above Kid wished he could fucking beat the shit out of whoever it was that had done this to Law.

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Kid shifted and gently pushed Law away from him. Law muttered incoherently under his breath, still soundly asleep despite the almost crushing grip of his arms wrapped around Kid’s chest. Untangling himself from Law’s limbs, Kid quietly slipped out of the bed and grabbed his phone and packet of cigarettes from the nightstand. He walked into the living room, lighting up a stick and inhaling it deep, lounging on the couch and wondering what the hell his next move was going to be. Law didn’t want him to meddle in his affairs, but Kid wasn’t going to be able to listen. How could he? It would be impossible for Kid to simply turn a blind eye to Law’s problem, whether he said he was fine or not. He wouldn’t - _couldn’t_ \- accept such a ridiculous request. 

Kid chewed his bottom lip, staring at this blank phone screen and contemplating his options.

Sucking in another breath of the cigarette, Kid made his decision by opening up the group chat he had with his friends. Wire and Heat were his go-to guys when it came to scouring for information about a person. They had definitely come through with the Donquixote package and he was a terrifying mob boss who had protection out his ears in the form of lackeys that would fall on a sword for him. If anyone would be able to be discreet enough to dig up some dirt on Law’s ex-partners, it would be them.

It felt… wrong. It was wrong, to snoop in the affairs of his boyfriend’s past. But Kid believed it to be a necessary action. He and Law had been open with each other about so many things, but clearly, there was much unsaid between them that needed to be addressed lest anything like this happen again. Kid knew it was hypocritical for he too, was hiding a huge part of his past from Law; but that life of his was over now. He wasn’t involved in gangs anymore, kept his nose clean, stayed out of trouble. He couldn’t say the same for Law, who was being targeted by someone who clearly wanted to hurt him. Since that was the most pressing issue, Kid was going to address it in the only way he knew how since Law wasn’t going to divulge any more information.

He sent the request to his friends, and waited for a response.

Killer called him immediately, harshly whispering into the phone a worried _“what the fuck, Kid?”_

“I can’t explain right now.” Kid muttered quietly, glancing at the corridor between the living room and the bedroom. Law was being particularly clingy now that they had gotten past their fight, and since he was such a light sleeper – when he wasn’t hungover, anyway – Kid wouldn’t put it past him to come padding out of the bedroom and inquiring as to his whereabouts. “I’ll meet with you tomorrow before work and tell you everything.”

_“Do you want me to ask Pengiun-”_

“No.” Kid quickly interrupted. “Don’t say a fucking word to him. Please.”

 _“…Alright. Okay. I don’t know what’s going on. Just… tell me you’re alright?”_ Killer asked him.

“I am.” Kid replied, hearing the shuffling of the sheets in the bedroom down the hall. “I gotta go Kil. Talk to you later.”

They hung up, and Kid dropped his phone onto the living room table, taking another hit of his cigarette just in time. Law walked in, rubbing the sleep from his tired eyes, squinting slightly in the darkness. “Eustass-ya?” He asked, voice gruff and scratchy. “Why did you leave?”

“I’m coming back, beautiful. Just wanted to smoke.” Kid told him, finishing with his cigarette and butting it on the ashtray on the table.

“Oh.” Law mumbled sleepily, unmoving from his position.

Kid cleared his throat, approaching his boyfriend and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Law leaned against his chest as they walked together to the bedroom, still feeling the pull of sleep. Kid kissed the top of his head, sparing a glance behind him at the bright light from his phone screen. He didn’t need to read it to know who it would be; he could rely on Heat and Wire to help him out with this.

The only thing to do now was wait…


	17. Head and Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “…This is bad,” Law whispered, his voice slightly trembling.
> 
> Kid frowned, tilting his head to the side to look at his lover. “What’s wrong?”
> 
> “Eustass-ya,” Law propped himself up on his elbows. The moonlight from the window outside illuminated the apprehensive expression on his face, his lower lip drawn into his mouth and being nibbled upon.
> 
> “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
> 
> Kid’s heart stopped.
> 
> Well. If that didn’t complicate things, Kid didn’t know what would-
> 
> He blurted it out almost instantly, without needing to think. “I think I am too, Law.” Kid responded.
> 
> Well. That should do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! I've returned! Terribly sorry for the longest delay yet. I'm hoping that won't happen again, but time will tell I suppose~ Thank you so so much for the comments and kudos you've left on this fic, I'm glad that it's still being enjoyed despite the wait ^^ A happy holiday season to all, and a very happy New Year. Let's hope 2021 is kind to us uwu.
> 
> Chapter contents inspired by the following songs:  
> [Head and Heart by Joel Corry x MNEK](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDeMxlhm8XI)  
> [Body On My Mind by Moonshine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhAHtUt_hxk)
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 17: Male/male sex (switching dynamics), smut, anal sex, gentle sex, touching kink (?), drinking, alcohol, swearing.

**20th March 2020**

**Kid’s Apartment**

**4:34pm**

** Four months remaining. **

Life returned to a relative standard of normalcy after the Valentine’s Day incident for Kid and Law. The boulder-sized baggage that they didn’t speak of still lingered in the air, and the doctor had been especially clingy for a few days after the two had settled the misunderstanding. Kid found himself frequenting Law’s apartment more than usual, seeing very clearly that his raven-haired boyfriend was still shaken up over the events that had transpired. Law, of course, refused to admit it when Kid asked. The mechanic almost forgot how stubborn Law could be when he had his mind set and made up. That included when Kid tried to pry into whether Law had sought out from the security at the hospital or his police friends; it was all to no avail. Law was tight-lipped, and coldly brushed off any inquiries Kid had for him, refusing his help in _anything_ under the pretence that it was being ‘taken care of’. It was headache inducing and fucking annoying, and only aided Kid’s quest in uncovering information about Law’s past relationships, which Wire and Heat were on their way to his apartment to give him.

He knew full well that digging into Law’s sexual partners or previous friendships – hell, _anything_ – was invasive and borderline creepy, but Kid excused away any guilt that might have consumed. He felt completely justified in his reasoning for violating Law’s privacy in the first place, since it was all in the name of preparation and well-being. If a person had been stealthy enough to avoid being noticed in such a busy building like a hospital, where the corridors were rarely ever devoid of patients and doctors and family members of those receiving treatment, it could spell out danger for their future as well as compromise Law’s safety. Neither of them could dismiss what had happened as a random occurrence since the ‘gift’ left in Law’s office was specifically targeted towards him, harbouring both his name and stirring what appeared to be deep-rooted wounds from past bedroom abuse. It brought forth a strong obligation on Kid’s part as his insanely worried sick boyfriend to be prepared in case there was a repeat offense or – and Kid _loathed_ to believe so – if there was something worse brewing in the upcoming days.

Plus, Kid felt like he had no choice but to pursue the matter, the thought of the Valentine’s Day events nagging at him from the back of his mind. For Law’s safety and Kid’s sanity, he _needed_ to solve this mystery and uncover the vile, disgusting person who had sent his boyfriend that collar. Kid’s best bet was a lover; Law had admitted to have lain with many men in the past, even if he didn’t disclose details. There was a high possibility that it could be one of them. Perhaps they weren’t over Law, or perhaps they felt scorned after whatever agreement they had with him ended and were trying to send a message; whatever the reasoning, Kid’s experience in the underbelly enabled him to recognise the tactic as malicious and threatening. Even if Law claimed he ‘wasn’t bothered by it’ anymore – which Kid didn’t believe for a second – Kid was. He was fucking disturbed as hell, and so needed to get to the bottom of this.

Kid grabbed three beers from his fridge and snacks from the closet, hair dripping lightly from the shower he had just taken as he set them down on the dining room table. There was a knock on the door shortly after. Checking the peep-hole as a safety measure – thank fuck he and Killer were now in an apartment that had one – Kid opened the door up widely to invite his friends in, not missing the slightly troubled looks on their faces as they entered. He checked the locks before inviting them all into the dining room, unsettled by the tension in the air that the two had brought in with him. “Hey guys.” Kid greeted tentatively, all three of them sitting down on the wooden chairs at the table.

“Sup, sup…” Heat started saying slowly, glancing to Wire before taking one of the beers Kid had set out. He undid the cap and took a quick swig, his grip on the body of the bottle hard and tight. Wire placed the folio he had tucked away under his arm onto the table in front of Kid.

“So, Kid,” Wire started saying. “Your boyfriend there. He’s… interesting.”

Kid raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? There doesn’t seem like there’s much in here.” He pointed out, lightly dragging the folio towards him and tapping the front of it with a chipped-black fingernail. He hadn’t seen the context yet but judging by size alone the documents barely made a dent in the thickness of the folder of information Wire and Heat had uncovered about the Donquixote head a few months back. “In my line of experience that’s usually a good sign.”

“But not always, right? No news isn’t always good news, Kid.” Heat muttered, glancing down at his bottle. “There wasn’t much to find about him and that in and of itself can be a huge red flag.”

Kid frowned. What the hell was Heat saying? He had only asked about the two digging into Law’s relationships, but it sounded like they had done more than that. Before Kid could ask about it, Wire quietly interjected. “Just listen to what we have to say.”

“What? You think my boyfriend has something to hide?” Kid asked..

Heat rolled his eyes, leaning against the table and frowning at Kid. “Well, don’t you? You’re the one who wanted him looked in to.”

Kid growled, mumbling “fair point” under his breath.

“Okay,” Wire continued, drawing out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket and offering one each to the others at the table. They lit up and the room soon filled with the smell of smoke, the familiar scent comforting to Kid, who was now on edge thanks to his friend’s prelude. “As we know, everybody has an identifying footprint, be it digital, physical, whatever. With technology and the manipulation of it, it’s tough to go full incognito. A simple Internet search could tell ya everything you could ever want about a person’s life. When we looked up your boyfriend, we realised quickly that someone like him – with that fancy-ass reputation and all those friends you say he has – hasn’t got much of one. No social media accounts, no photographs, nada. That opened up a shitton of reasons as to why he hasn’t got much of a trace.” Wire said.

“Lotsa people don’t have social media, though.” Kid added.

“True,” Heat nodded. “And we knew that it was going to be difficult to find any acquaintances of his, so we had to look deeper. When we did though, there were… other things that came up.” Heat leaned over the table. “First thing’s first – your boy was hard to track down. We couldn’t find his name on any databases, social media _or_ government-operated. He has no form of identification, no driver’s license, no photo-card or place-card, nothing.” Heat opened up the first page of the folio and Kid was met with what appeared to be a printed snippet of a newspaper. The page was titled ‘Birth Announcements’, which Kid hadn’t seen in a hella long time. With technology overtaking written forms of media and communication, he didn’t think many people wrote to newspapers anymore like they did in decades past. But the date on top indicated that this was from almost twenty-seven years ago, and a quick scan of the page bore a familiar name.

_“Trafalgar D. Water Law, born to Doctors Trafalgar Ludwig and Lucia on October 6th at Flevance Hospital.”_ Kid muttered. “Okay. Other than the fact that I didn’t know he had a middle name, what am I supposed to be looking at here? Isn’t this identification?”

“A birth certificate would be, but this is just an announcements. Honestly, it’s one of the only documents we could find that he exists in the first place considering the lack of every other fucking thing a normal human being should have.” Heat explained.

Kid held back from rolling his eyes at the dramatic delivery at that statement, if only because he was terribly curious about where his friends were going with this. “Guys, I respect your work, but that doesn’t make any sense. He works at a hospital, has a nametag, has a tonne of friends, and went to a university where he’d be registered as a student. Of _course_ he exists.”

Wire and Heat exchanged a nervous glance. “You know as well as I do Kid,” Wire said slowly. “That just because a person has an identity, it doesn’t mean that’s who they really are. I know you like the guy but would you just try and listen to Heat and me with an open mind?”

Kid sighed, taking a long drag from his cigarette. He had a grim feeling that he wasn’t going to like anything his friends told him. “Alright. Shoot.”

What Wire and Heat briefed Kid on was equal parts unexpected and troubling, and brought about a whole new definition to the idiom ‘bearer of bad news’. They flicked through pages of the folio that were applicable with their recount as they discussed how they discovered that Law was virtually on the cusp of being able to disappear at a moment’s notice. He lacked most regular forms of identification including a photo card or a driver’s license, which Kid didn’t know about. He hadn’t questioned Law’s preference to walk or take public transport, chalking it up to the fact that it could be difficult owning a car in a busy city. They couldn’t find evidence of Law having a passport either, shining suspicion on how he was able to travel to the Grand Line in the first place; without a passport, he shouldn’t have been allowed to pass through the borders between the Lines, meaning technically he was in the country illegally. Law was a foreigner without the correct documentation. Even Kid, who had been a well-known gang member and criminal extraordinaire, had to get one sorted when he travelled up from the South Line, otherwise he’d be sent back at the border and refused entry. In addition, Heat had called up the university Law had attended and posed as an employer to get his enrolment information from the years he had been a student. He discovered that all of Law’s university fees had been paid straight off the bat from an account that didn’t match his name and was now defunct, and that he had somehow gotten away with his emergency contact being a general practitioner instead of a friend or family member. When they contacted the doctor however, he hadn’t ever heard of Trafalgar Law before.

“It’s very strange, Kid,” Heat muttered quietly, letting his cigarette droop in-between his lips a little. “It was a simple search for booty calls but we found a deep as fuck rabbit hole instead. Everything about this is weird. How he’s working at such a high end job with nothing to his name, how he’s able to open a bank account with no ID, how he’s even here in the Grand Line in the first place… it’s _suspicious.”_

“Initially we thought it might be identity theft, but we couldn’t cross out that it could have been forgery or bribery that got him this far. You know how easy it is for people to get away with those kinds’a petty crimes, even if they don’t have money. Offering up their possessions or sex can work too,” Wire said, watching as Kid’s eyes narrowed at the insinuation. “Maybe he had some money left-over after his parent’s deaths or somethin’, since you mentioned he was orphaned real young. But we couldn’t trace anything back, so we’ve got no clue.”

Kid didn’t want to believe that his boyfriend was capable of committing any one of those heinous acts, but Law was the smartest person Kid knew. He couldn’t count the amount of times he had been swept away by Law’s intelligence, be it about the finer aspects and details of his job or just general knowledge facts that popped up in casual conversation when they were living their day-to-day lives. Kid could happily listen to Law discuss in length the background to whatever documentary or show they were watching together, or how he described the way organs in the body operated as a unit to keep a person alive. He was proud to have such a smart boyfriend who knew so much about the world. But could Law, as clever and brainy as he was, be capable of forging documents? Of risking his safety and freedom to resort to bribery? Of sullying his childhood dream of being a doctor, a career that he spoke about passionately, by stealing it away from someone via identity theft? It couldn’t be true.

“Fuck me,” Kid said, slouching in his chair and turning over this new information in his mind. “All I wanted to know was what his past partners were like because of some fucked up shit that happened last month. I get this shit dumped on me instead and don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna _do_ with it.”

“We’re sorry Kid,” Heat told him, patting his arm. “And we have the other information you wanted, but we just couldn’t turn our backs on these issues too.”

“You’re too important for us to let this go unsaid. If your boyfriend isn’t going to tell you the whole truth and nothing but, then damnit we have to do it instead,” Wire said firmly. “So if you’re gonna pursue this _thing_ with him then just be careful, alright? And maybe try asking him about all this stuff.”

Kid didn’t like how Wire was discounting the seriousness of his and Law’s relationship as a simple ‘thing’ but kept his mouth shut and nodded in acknowledgement. He wasn’t going to bite the hands that fed him, even if what he was being offered was bitter-tasting and acidic and burned his insides as he swallowed it down. It was a double-edged sword for him to have asked his friends to look into his boyfriend’s past and he should have been expecting to get cut. Just… not like this. Not with something that could change the entire dynamic of what he had with Law. Kid now had questions he wasn’t going to be able to get the answers to easily, and he knew it was going to drive him to the point of insanity until he did. How the hell was he going to even bring it up to Law, when he saw him?

“Fuck.” He muttered again. “Alright. Shit, I know I’m supposed to say thank you here but you’ve dropped a goddamn bomb on my head.”

“We get it.” Heat told him. “But we’re not done. We still have to get through friendships and relationships. These were just as hard to find as everything else, but there have been a few people we narrowed down to being close to him. Ready?”

Kid nodded, watching as Heat flicked through the pages of the folio. As he had said, there wasn’t much information on that department either. The only serious relationship Law had been in was with his last ex, who Kid had heard of already and knew a fair bit about. The guy was clean, according to Wire, who tapped on the profile he had written about him in the folio. He was an older man who in his forties now, been a cop for over twenty years, and didn’t have so much as a traffic violation on his spotless record. “Law doesn’t think it was him.” Kid told his friends.

“I wouldn’t either,” Wire said with a shrug. “He’s a stickler for the law, this one. Doubt he’d do anything that might draw attention to himself in a bad way.”

“Sounds about righ- what the fuck? Why is _Zoro_ in here?” Kid interjected, turning the page over and seeing the very familiar face of one of his newer friends.

“You know him?”

“Yeah, he’s one of Law’s best friends! I didn’t know they fucked each other!” Kid exclaimed, wondering why the fuck Law had kept this a secret from him. “Why wouldn’t he fucking tell me about that?”

“Not sure, but it was apparently short-lived, if that makes it any better?” Wire said nervously. “We couldn’t get it from the source, but there was a comment on one of his updates to a social media account by a friend that made a joke about the both of them. It could be fake, but we added him in just in case.”

Kid was staring intensely at the folio, with a look on his face that could have burned a hole through the damned table. It wasn’t jealously, since he had known going into this he’d be faced with people his boyfriend had been with before; but goddamn he was bewildered that he wasn’t told about it in the first place considering they hung out with the green-haired man almost every week. Wire glanced at Heat above Kid’s head, a worried expression on his face. Heat understood the silent communication and cleared his throat to break the silence, reaching for the files on the table.

“How about we take a break from this?” Heat suggested, pulling the documents towards him. “Take it all in stages.”

Kid shook his head violently, frowning. “No fucking way. Law’s not telling me anything and it’s become plain as fucking day that there’s shit I need to know about.”

The others in the room were quiet before Wire finally sighed. They both knew Kid well enough by now; when his mind was fixated on a goal, his resolve to complete it wouldn’t be shaken. It had been what made him both a great gang member in the past as he could be trusted to get shit done, but could also be incredibly infuriating in some instances. This being one of them. “Fine. Bottom line of this,” Wire said, opening up to another page. “We couldn’t find anyone that might have a motive to try and ‘torture him’, as you put it in your text. Most of these guys were just flings. There’s no reason for any of them to go after Law.”

“Unless they’ve been holding a grudge.” Heat added with a shrug. “Which is stupid, because I’m sure they haven’t seen Law in years. The only other reason I can think of for what happened was that they were returning something that belonged to him.”

“But then he’d have known who sent it.” Kid pointed out. “He wouldn’t have accused me of making the damned thing myself.”

“In that case,” Wire said. “I think it was just a prank, bro. A fucked up one, but overall harmless if it was a standalone. Has anything else come up since?”

Kid shook his head. Nothing was amiss after Valentine’s Day as far as he could tell. Law had become slightly jittery and needy for Kid’s company at first, but most of that had diminished by now and they were pretty much back to normal. He knew his boyfriend hadn’t slept well either, the bags underneath his grey eyes more prominent than ever before, but that was a culmination of stress from his work at the hospital. Kid knew he could solve that issue easily by fucking his boyfriend silly since that seemed to remedy his lack-of-sleep problem, but Law hadn’t wanted to have sex since the day the collar was sent. He didn’t mind being held or being given kisses, however intimate touching had been put aside for the time being. While this was a fucking challenge for Kid who liked to show affection with his body rather than his words, Kid understood that Law needed some time. Instead, he made himself content with following what Law wanted, like holding him when he was shyly asked to or letting Law tangle their fingers together when he needed affirmation that his boyfriend was right there beside him. 

“Then there isn’t much else to say.” Heat said with resignation. “But if there’s anything else you need, let us know.”

With that, shop talk seemed to come to an end. Kid didn’t have any more questions or comments, and Head and Wire unveiled everything they had been working on in the past few weeks. Despite the fact that they were moving on from the conversation, to Kid, the remnants of it were not long forgotten. It was still dwelling in his brain, even as the three migrated to the living room for a change of scenery, leaving the folio on the table. They settled in and Wire cracked open a pack of cards that he found half buried into the cushions. After a few rounds of Old Maid, Wire and Heat bid their goodbyes and left. Alone to his own devices, the red-headed mechanic walked back to the dining room and reached for the discarded folio, looking through the pages again. Kid was no detective and admittedly wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he had masterminded a few foolproof plans in his days as member of Big Mam’s mob. He thought that he could try to piece together the mystery of Law and his shady backstory if he had some time to overlook the files himself without Wire and Heat looming over him, and settled in to reread some of the statements and printouts contained in the folio.

It didn’t work. He must have pored over those words dozens of times trying to understand why Law’s background was so sketchy and borderline criminal. Scenarios played through Kid’s mind like a film reel of ways that his boyfriend would have broken the law and evaded the police to get into the country, each potential offense worse than the last. He couldn’t help himself from continually picking at the loose threads from the various theories his brain was concocting, despite knowing that it could unravel into an even larger mess than it already was.

Another frustratingly unproductive hour later, Kid decided he needed a breather. All he had accomplished with his individual inquiry was the beginnings of a tension headache and a stiff neck. He contemplated lighting another cigarette when he received a text from Killer saying he was headed to the bar after work, and thought that might be the reprieve he needed to truly get these confusing documents out of his mind. Kid closed the folio with a huff and walked to his room to stash it under his bed next to his gun case before responding to Killer’s text that he’d be there soon.

**\----------**

There were a few mutual companions at the Flaming Phoenix when Kid arrived. Killer was in a booth with Sanji and Zoro, sipping a fancy looking drink through a straw that was slipped into the bottom of his mask. Kid made his way through the relative crowded area, nodding a ‘hello’ to Marco behind the register before sliding himself into the cushioned seat beside his best friend.

“Hey. What are we drinkin’?” Kid asked.

Killer pushed the red coloured beverage over to his friend so he could taste it. “It’s called… uh… spritz-something.”

“Spritz-veneziano.” Sanji supplied, resting his head on Zoro’s shoulder. “A favourite of mine. I bet Killer that I could find him a cocktail he’d enjoy, so we’ve been drinking a different one every few days after work.”

“This isn’t bad.” Kid said after taking a small sip, passing the glass back to Killer. 

“Yeah. Think we got a winner.” Killer said, nodding in agreement.

“Good choice. It was the pina colada that got me when I played this game with Sanji years ago.” Zoro told them with a chuckle. “What about you Kid? What’s your poison?”

“Bloody Mary.” Kid grinned.

Sanji rolled his eyes, peeling himself off of Zoro – who snorted at Kid’s response – and taking out his pack of cigarettes. “So fitting. That’s Law’s favourite too.” He said, standing from the booth and excusing himself to have a smoke outside. Soon after Killer left to order some more drinks for the table and use the facilities, leaving Zoro and Kid alone.

Kid didn’t mean to stare, but the green-haired man was sitting right there in front of him. Someone who Law had taken an interest in, and a potential suspect in his investigation. He could see the appeal that was for fucking sure, taking in Zoro’s ruggedly handsome looks and the outlines of his body in his tight-fitted white shirt. He willed himself to keep his voice even and non-accusatory as he cleared his throat and asked Zoro what he and Sanji had done on Valentine’s Day.

“We drove up to the beach the day before and booked a seaside cabin for a couple night,” Zoro explained, fondness prevalent in his eyes from what were no doubt fond memories. “We did some kayaking and snorkelling and ate the best barbequed ribs I’ve ever eaten. Pays to be married to a renowned chef,” He said with a smile. “What about you and Law?”

“Law worked, so we couldn’t do much.” Kid admitted, omitting everything that happened after Law had gotten home from his shift. “It was an emergency but he’s been real busy there lately anyway. It’s that fucking promotion. For some reason they’re taking a hella long time to pick someone and they’er hanging it over everyone’s heads like it’s the goddamn Holy Grail or some shit. That means Law’s been working extra hard and takin’ any shift he can.” 

“Poor bastard. He should have been promoted a long time ago. So dedicated to that job.” Zoro mused, scratching the back of his head. “Or any job, really. He’s always been like that.

“That’s right. You knew him back at university. You and Luffy and all the others right?” Kid said, crossing his arms and leaning back against the cushioned back of the booth. Maybe this outing would be useful after all, instead of just a way for him to relax. “What was he like, then?”

“Oh man, _so_ different to now. Chopper was his roommate and introduced him to us a few months into the first semester. We all thought he was a weirdo.” Zoro started to explain with a half-smile. “He was really fucking uptight and tense then, all the time. Didn’t skip a single class, even the optional attendance ones. Once, I remember we put paper cups into the holes of the pool tables in the cafeteria so we didn’t have to keep paying for games – machine wouldn’t give us the balls unless we paid two bucks for ‘em – and he refused to play. And he kept freaking out because he thought that campus security would kick us out forever, even though we told him they’d probably just give us a warning or something. Pretty sure they didn’t give a rat’s ass anyway.” Zoro rolled his eyes. “And he was so serious and literal about everything too. He still can be but damn, at least he can take a joke now.”

“I see…” Kid commented, drinking in this newfound information. He knew that Law had struggled with fitting in when he was at university but his boyfriend rarely told him specific stories like this. _Tense and uptight…_ Kid wondered if that could also translate to ‘paranoia’ as well, which wouldn’t help Law’s case if he were on the run or worried about being caught in something. Damn it.

“Yeah. I’m still positive that Luffy and Chopper are the only reasons he stuck around. Chopper because Law liked him and Luffy because… well, you’ve seen how Luffy is when he wants to include someone.” Zoro continued, and Kid shuddered with the memory of being dragged around the bar by the straw-hat wearing boy upon first meeting him. “Personally, I didn’t get along with him at first. I thought he was too snobby to hang with us and just told Luffy to give up on his quest to…” Zoro made quotation marks with his fingers. “…‘become bestest friends’ with him. But whatever Luffy did worked, because Law started opening up to us. Progress, I guess. He wasn’t so bad after that.”

“Did he ever have a boyfriend?” Kid asked. “A serious relationship?” _Someone that might have hurt him or held a grudge for years?_

Zoro’s shook his head, drumming his fingers on the side of his empty beer bottle. “No. I don’t know how much he’s told from back then but he wasn’t really looking for any commitment. _That_ was surprising, let me tell you.” Zoro said. “Thought he was a complete prude until we saw him walking out of another student’s dorm room in the same clothes he was wearing the day before. Not that it was a bad thing, I slept around a lot too. It’s just that we didn’t expect it from Law of all people.”

Kid licked his lips, silently thanking his stars for the conversational segue that could lead to answer any one of his many questions about Law as well as absolve him for snooping. “Did you two ever…?” He asked, letting it trail off with the very obvious implication.

Zoro’s eyes widened and he cleared his throat. He was silent for a moment, glancing to the side before finally answering. “Not in university, no. But… we have. Once. Neither of us wanted to do it again.” He admitted. “And it meant nothing.” Raising an eyebrow, Zoro’s face turned serious. “I hope that doesn’t… change anything between us.”

Kid shook his head, striking Zoro from his mental list of suspects. He may have been with Law once, but Zoro was a happily married man now. Plus, he didn’t seem the type to intentionally cause psychological harm another person, least of all someone he considered a friend like Law. As far as Kid was concerned, Zoro was innocent. He still had no clue as to who he could point the finger at or how he was going to track down any of the others in the folio since most of them were only with Law for a couple of nights or weeks, but at least it wasn’t a person he’d come to like in these past few months at living in the city. “It won’t.” He said definitively, and truly meaning it. “I’m not jealous or anything, just glad I know.” _Glad it’s out in the open so I have a reason if I let it slip with Law._ “We’re fine here.”

“Good.” Zoro grinned. “Would be a shame to lose a drinking buddy like you over a fling I barely remember anymore.”

Their conversation shifted away from the topic of Law’s university days after that, gearing instead to fitness techniques and work. Sanji finished his smoke break and Killer returned shortly after juggling drinks for the table, with two glass bottles of sake tucked under his arm and a cocktail glass in each hand. Kid didn’t drink much, having already done so back home with Wire and Heat, but he enjoyed the company and the distraction that came with it. As he stood to leave, his phone buzzed with a text message from his boyfriend. A quick check of the contents had Kid informing Killer that he’d be spending the night at Law’s, and he made his way to his car to drive the few minutes from the Flaming Phoenix bar to the apartment complex that had become a second home to him. Law buzzed him in when Kid rang, and the mechanic was met with a soft press of lips against his own when he stepped through the open door.

“Hey,” Law greeted, loosely wrapping his arms around Kid’s waist. Freshly showered, he was clad in soft-fitted yoga pants and one of Kid’s oversized shirts that been left in a prior visit. Law looked more relaxed than Kid had seen him in a while, which was reassuring considering how pent-up and stressed he had been these past few weeks. “Guess what?” Law murmured into Kid’s ear, his growing goatee brushing against the other’s cheek. “They announced the promotion today.” He pulled back, a small smile on his face; tired, but elated. “You’re looking at the new Head of Surgery.”

The immediate, lingering thought of ‘how could that be possible if Wire and Heat said you don’t exist?’ aside, Kid smiled back, wrapping his muscular arms around Law’s lithe frame and squeezing him in a tight hug. “Fuck, that’s great Law,” Kid said, listening to the soft chuckles of his boyfriend fill his ears. A wondrous sound he never wanted to forget. “Congrats!”

Law thanked him, swaying in Kid’s arms before suggesting they move to the living room to celebrate with a bottle of champagne he had been saving for a special occasion. Kid agreed, taking Law’s hand and making himself comfortable on the couch. Since Kid wasn’t going to be driving anymore, he became more liberal with his drink, clinking his glass against Law’s before indulging himself in the bubbly alcohol. They spoke, softly, about their days. Law described in length the processes of being chosen, and how he was due to start his new position within the next month after Kureha retired. Kid lied about what filled the majority of his day, instead focussing on the portion that involved hanging out with his friends, excluding the part about invading his boyfriend’s privacy. One glass became two, the thighs that were barely touching became Law sliding into Kid’s lap, and the mouths that had been engaged in light conversation were locked in a deep, open-mouthed, passionate kiss. Law tasted sweeter than honey as they melted into each other on the couch, the most contact they had occupied themselves with for almost a month. Beneath Law’s light wiggling and adjustment atop Kid’s lap, the mechanic felt his member throb inside his pants as he set his glass down and cupped Law’s jaw to draw him in further.

Reason and logic fought with emotion and feeling as Kid kissed his lover with increased fervour, taking delight in the light gasps of air and the low hums of raptured bliss that rumbled through Law’s throat . His head and his heart were at odds, the weight of today disreputable discoveries crushing Kid’s shoulders as he squeezed his eyes shut and lost himself in the pleasure of making out with his boyfriend. Wire and Heat were wrong. Their information incorrect. There was no way Law, Kid’s beautiful, smart, sexy, sassy, thoughtful, goddamn fucking _wonderful_ Law, was a criminal. How could someone so perfect, so sweet, be the deceptive villain they were almost accusing him of being? Kid refused to believe it. He couldn’t, he couldn’t , he wouldn’t-

“Shall we move to the bedroom?” Law muttered against Kid’s lips, his eyes half-lidded with lust.

“Are you sure, beautiful?” Kid asked him.

Law nodded, lacing his fingers with Kid’s. “I’m ready again.” He spoke softly.

“What’s the safeword?” Kid asked, for his own peace of mind.

When Law responded that the safeword was red and that he was currently green, Kid held tightly onto Law’s bottom and spared no time in lifting the both of them off of the couch. They could probably have just done it there, but the mood tonight called for a more intimate setting. There was no sense of wild desperation as Kid carried Law to the bedroom, gently placing him on the bed and climbing atop him to pepper his face with more kisses. There was no talk of toys or scenes, Law’s new, larger box of sex objects ignored on the bedside table as they slowly disrobed. Law’s fingers were quick to seek the hem of Kid’s shirt, his palms feeling every glorious ripple of muscle as he drew the fabric up and over his head before working on the fly of his jeans. Kid helped Law shimmy out of his own, the yoga pants sliding down easily over the smooth skin of his legs. The mechanic was sad to see that his shirt was also discarded, having loved the way it had been draped over Law’s thinner form, but was met with the inviting sight of his boyfriend’s toned chest so didn’t feel it was a total loss. Almost a second after Law’s top half was exposed Kid leaned forward and latched his mouth onto one of his dark nipples, letting his textured tongue lick and wet the skin. Law arched his back, one hand still working Kid’s pants and deftly opening up the flaps. He didn’t bother with trying to peel them off, instead trailing his hand to the band of Kid’s underwear and slipping in to free his half-hard cock. Law held it in a loose grip, lazily pumping his hand up and down the ribbed length. Kid’s eyes slid shut as he suckled on Law’s hardening nub, lightly swaying his hips as the stimulation from Law’s touch had a warm, delightful feeling course through his lower belly.

Detaching himself from Law’s nipple, Kid replaced his mouth with his fingers, lightly rubbing the nub with his thumb and forefinger. “Tell me what you want, Law,” Kid said, staring deeply into his lover’s grey eyes. “Do you want me to fuck you? Suck you off? Do you… want to fuck me? You could top if ya want…”

Kid swore he could feel the appreciation come off Law in waves. The doctor’s eyes shone with admiration at the thoughtful suggestion and the tenderness held in Kid’s voice as he silently put Law in control of the evening’s activities. Kid offered his body up to Law in a way they hadn’t done before; yes, there had been instances where Law had controlled their pacing, had dominated Kid by cuffing him to the post and riding his dick like it was his job, but he hadn’t penetrated him. He preferred receiving instead of giving, but the implication behind Kid’s offer was not lost on him. What Kid was giving Law was a testament to how much he adored him. How much he believed in him.

How much he trusted him, even with the shadows of his hidden past looming over him.

“I’d like to try that,” Law softly responded. “Do you want to shower first?”

“Already did today,” Kid answered. He inched himself off of Law’s body to finish taking off his clothes, kicking his boxers and pants off and onto the floor to join the pile already building there. Fully naked, kneeling chest-to-chest to his lover, Law’s eyes darkened further with lust, hands finding their way to the taut flesh in front of him. Kid drew his tongue out of his mouth, swiping it across his bottom lip as he felt the tantalisingly slow brushes of Law’s fingers trace over his chest. He bent forward to kiss Law’s intoxicating lips again, letting the other drew invisible shapes across his pectorals and his abdomen, shivering in delight at the light teasing. Law enjoyed touching his body, had a fascination and deep attraction for the rippling muscles Kid trained regularly to maintain. And Kid loved it when Law touched him, wherever he could get it. His hard member twitched from ghostly touch of Law’s working fingers, precum beading on the tip, eager to be touched too. He’d be balls deep in Law by now, if Kid had it his way. He could only tease for so long, before the compulsion to bury himself deeply into his lover overcame him, to fuck him senseless, make him forget the troubles of the days, make him scream in pleasure over and over…

“Would you get your back for me?” Law asked him softly, breaking Kid from his devious thoughts.

Nodding, Kid flopped back onto the bed and propping himself up on his elbows, settling in the centre while Law reached for the lube. “It’s been a while since I’ve topped so… tell me if I hurt you.”

“I trust you. Yer a doctor, after all.” Kid said with a smirk as he spread his legs to the side, exposing all to Law. Law chuckled as he lathered his fingers with lube, placing the bottle on the bed. He didn’t say anything, bending down instead to press a kiss against Kid’s forehead as his pointer pressed against his pucker.

Kid closed his eyes. Unlike Law, who admitted to having tried both topping and bottoming, Kid hadn’t been on the receiving end. This was kind of like a first time for him, the feeling of something going _inside_ him totally foreign. He tried to relax, to focus on the smooth lips against his forehead and eyelids and cheeks and jaw as Law’s slick finger drew in and out in an attempt to stretch him open.

A second finger joined soon after and Kid found himself squirming in place as the intrusion became more prominent. Law paused, waiting for Kid to become adjusted, knowing firsthand how slow and steady preparation went a long way in bringing out extended pleasure. When Kid gave him the okay once more, Law continued, working his hole open with precision. Kid’s hard member was propped against his stomach now, sensitive and leaking from the stimulation, and he gripped one of his hands around the length. He groaned, fisting his cock and jerking himself, finding that it relaxed him enough to barely realise that he had fingers up his ass in the first place. 

“Are you okay?” Law asked him softly. “Is it too much?”

“’M fine.” Kid responded, his voice gruff and slightly strained. “Just new.”

“You haven’t ever…?”

“No.” Kid admitted. Law’s eyes widened, newfound admiration stirring within the steely greys as he gently pulled his fingers out of Kid’s twitching end. He found the lubricant on the bed, adjusting himself on his knees and slathering his hard cock up with a fresh coating. Guiding with one hand, Law pressed the tip of his dick against Kid’s entrance, rubbing it up and down. Kid sucked in a breath at Law’s insistence, the head of his lover’s cock slowly breached what hadn’t been penetrated before. Kid groaned again, tightening his hand on his own cock as Law pushed in despite the resistance he was met with. Inch by inch, in the silent night, with nothing but the sounds of their breathing and the faint ticking of Law’s clock in the other room, Kid was filled with his lover’s cock for the first time.

“Eustass-ya,” Law wheezed, bending forward and burying his head in between the nook of Kid’s shoulder and neck. “You feel _good._ ”

“H-heh,” Kid breathed, his free arm reached to wrap around Law’s back. “Glad to hear it, _doctor._ ” He said, emphasising the word in a low and sultry tone.

Law let out a sound of amusement, shaking his head. “T-the way you say my title… you’ll drive me crazy if you don’t stop with that voice.” He said, muttering into Kid’s shoulder, his cock so tightly enveloped in the clenched heat of his lover’s ass, taking time to ensure he was well adjusted to the feel of it before he started to fuck him.

“Could be a fun role-play,” Kid pointed out. “How haven’t we done it before?”

“If you’re still coherent enough to be making jokes, I’m clearly not doing enough.” Law said, pushing himself up on his hands. “Get ready Eustass-ya.”

It was all the warning Kid had before Law’s cock was slowly pulled out halfway. He hissed, hole gripping tightly on the length as if it were loathe for it to leave. Law didn’t leave him empty however, waiting a beat before sliding back in with slightly more force. Kid groaned at the sensation of Law repeatedly continuing the motion, plunging in and out of him at an increasing pace. Law replaced Kid’s hand on his cock with his own one, jerking it in time with his thrusts. Kid thought it couldn’t get any better than this until the cock within him swept against his prostate.

That had him tipping over the edge, and he came with a stuttered groan. His abdomen seized up and his hole tightened around Law’s cock, drawing an orgasm out of him almost simultaneously. They were both lost in prolonged pleasure, sweaty fingers tugging at each other to be as close and possible, panting and breathing shared air. It was a different kind of high and Kid was riding the trip to the end, understanding the delights of the other side.

Law pulled out a few minutes later, collapsing into Kid’s arms and letting out a relaxed sigh. “Eustass-ya,” Law murmured. “Thank you for being so patient. I know I’ve been making you wait but I needed to take a step back from everything, especially after…” Law’s sentence trailed off. 

Kid threaded his fingers into Law’s hair, massaging the back of his head with a soft touch. His indulgent world of pleasure started to clear up, and Kid was back to facing the reality of what he had learned about Law today. His head finally took control back from his heart, and he tried to think rationally about what the hell his next step would be. Yes, there were underlying issues that needed to be brought up with Law concerning his citizenship and background. No, Wire and Heat wouldn’t have lied to him about what they had found.

_Illegally in the county. Possibly forged documents to get his job. Maybe bribed his way to the top. Practically untraceable. Ready to disappear at a moment’s notice._

Kid swallowed thickly. They could wait. All those problems could wait for now, until he had more information. He wasn’t going to let something that might not even exist ruin the best fucking relationship he had been in his entire life.

It. Could. Wait.

“I know.” Kid finally replied, soothingly rubbing circles on Law’s scalp. “’Nd I get it.”

Law hummed, shifting in his spot. Kid winced slightly, his hole sore despite the gentleness with which Law had fucked him. He allowed Law to wrap the both of them up in the blanket, the doctor snuggling up to him closely. “Eustass-ya, you are one of a kind. Truly.”

“So are you, beautiful.”

“…This is bad,” Law whispered, his voice slightly trembling.

Kid frowned, tilting his head to the side to look at his lover. “What’s wrong?”

“Eustass-ya,” Law propped himself up on his elbows. The moonlight from the window outside illuminated the apprehensive expression on his face, his lower lip drawn into his mouth and being nibbled upon.

“I think I’m falling in love with you.”

Kid’s heart stopped.

Well. If that didn’t complicate things, Kid didn’t know what would-

He blurted it out almost instantly, without needing to think. “I think I am too, Law.” Kid responded.

Well. That should do it.

**\----------**

In the middle of the night, during a rare, quiet hour, a young, blond-haired security guard was hurrying his way down the white-walled, freshly cleaned halls of the Grand Line City hospital. His steps were light but urgent, a clear goal in mind as he turned through the various linking corridors to the room he had been appointed to complete his mission in, his laptop case hanging from his shoulders. He was just getting in for his shift, having offered to take the graveyard hours for a specific reason. Not that he disclosed that reason to anyone, for if his secret meddling in the camera room were to get out then being fired would be the least of his problems.

Then he’d have to face the dragon, and from what he knew that could be a fate worse than death.

The other security guard greeted him with a gruff, not a man of many words. Jean Bart. Tall, sturdily-built, a stern and menacing resting face. Blondie wouldn’t want to cross him, having seen how intimidating he could be when it came to the more difficult visitors of the hospitals. The junkies that were itching for a fix. The distraught family members who tried to barge their way into an operating room. It didn’t happen often, but the young security guard had witnessed some of these occurrences since being employed three months ago.

Jean Bart gave him a rundown of the night so far, and blondie was relieved to hear it had been blessedly quiet. _“You can take cams tonight.”_ Jean Bart told him. _“I’ll do patrol, and we’ll switch it up later.”_

Perfect.

Entering the hospital’s security room, Blondie locked the door behind him and set his laptop bag down at the desk. He took stock of the room that had somewhat become his ‘office’ when he wasn’t out on active patrol. It had been refurbished recently, the walls painted a creamy beige and all the computer monitors replaced with larger, 40 inch screens that were hung up on the wall. There was a computer too, but Blondie had been told it was only to be used for work purposes. All the CCTV recordings from the security cameras were stored on there, files that only the guards had access to.

Sitting onto the worn and torn leather swivel chair, Blondie shook the mouse to bring the screen of the computer to life. He quickly glanced up at one of the monitors, locating Camera 4, which was right outside the security office. Jean Bart had left, leaving the space outside all clear.

Entering his employee code, Blondie waited for it to load up, reaching for his laptop bag and opening the side zipper to take out a USB.

“Okay,” He muttered to himself, popping the stick into the security room’s computer port.

He worked quickly, double clicking on the appropriate icon to find what he had spent days working on. The files were in a hidden folder, password protected, and were all videos from CCTV footage of the hospital. But they weren’t the real recordings; these were tampered with. Altered. Blondie’s assignment had been planned months in advance by his _’true’_ employers, and while he hadn’t known about why exactly they had instructed him to apply for a job at security, it certainly made sense now that they had asked him to do something for them. All he had to do until they made contact with him was work quietly and keep his head down. When they needed his expertise in video editing, they’d call him.

And they did. On the 14th of February.

The voice on the other end of the line was chilling enough to give Blondie goose bumps, the instructions very clearly relayed to him about what the boss wanted. When he went in for work that day, he needed to copy all the footage onto a USB, take them home, and edit out a certain individual from ever having made his presence known. An individual he had once admired, had wanted to support; a man he now detested, and who had his future in the palm of his hands.

Blondie had done as instructed. Long hours were put into doctoring the files, removing the man from them, replacing the backgrounds. Tedious, meticulous work, but in his field of expertise so he knew he’d be able to get it done. The edits were seamless, the timestamps uninterrupted, and the alterations worthy of getting Blondie work in the film industry if he hadn’t fucked up his life so badly by falling into the wrong crowd.

When he had been done with the work, he had been ordered to take the videos back and replace the original files on the security computer’s hard drive. Mask the truth. Cover up the fact that one of the worst crime bosses had ever made himself known so publically.

All to play a ‘prank’ on one of the doctors.

The files took their time to copy over onto the computer, and as soon as they were done Blondie removed his USB. With a shaky breath, he reached for his phone and called the number he had been referred to.

_“Yeah?_ ” The woman’s voice clicked over the line almost instantly.

“It’s done.” Blondie told her. “All the evidence has been removed.”

A happy chuckle followed. _“Wonderful.”_ She purred. _“That’s your trial period done, Springy.”_

He cringed at the nickname the harpy had gifted him, a joke to how he had been so eager to work for their boss he practically had a ‘spring in his step.’ Tsh. How naïve he had been then. He shoved the USB back into his laptop zipper, and glanced over the monitors to find where she was. _There._ Camera 27. The woman was sitting behind her desk, the phone she was currently using to speak with Blondie cradled between her cheek and her shoulder. Her long green hair was pushed back in a bun with her glasses resting on top, and she was busying herself by sectioning off stapled documents into clipboard. She was under cover too, like Blondie was, but had been doing so for years, not months. She had been given more of a spotlight role, a nurse, one that catered to her specific skillsets. 

“What now?” He asked tentatively.

_“We wait for our next assignment,” She told him. “In the meantime…”_

The woman in the video turned her head, a smirk on her pale face. Her hypnotising hazel eyes were trained directly onto the lens of the security camera, her gaze practically burning the security guard through the screen. His mouth went dry as she spoke again, before hanging up and resuming her work. Her words lingered, filling the young man with a sense of dread as he was forced to come to terms with the rest of his life;

_“Welcome to the Donquixote family, Bellamy.”_


	18. Now or Never

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You can tell me anything Law, I won’t judge ya. You trust me, yeah?” Kid responded, reaching through the blanket to take hold of Law’s hand.
> 
> “That’s the problem,” Law mumbled. “I trust you more than anyone else, which is why this is so difficult for me to do.” His voice quivered and he squeezed Kid’s fingers tightly, teary eyes finally meeting those of his boyfriend’s. “Eustass-ya… w-we… we can’t be together anymore. We need to break up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you so much for your patience! It's getting harder and harder to push these chapters out but I'm still having a blast with writing this fic~ I'm very thankful for all the comments and kudos, and so very happy that there are still people enjoying this monster of a story (I knew it was going to be long but goodness gracious me it's more than I expected) XD Also, a (very VERY) late happy birthday to knight-in-shining armour Eustass Kid!
> 
> Had this heavy metal favourite on repeat while writing the chapter. No need to listen (unless you're curious about my music preferences xD), but the lyrics just hit right in certain parts:  
> [Painless by Fozzy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KhM2QNdMLg)
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 18: Panic/Anxiety attack(s) for main character, malexmale sex/brief smut, anal sex, romantic bedroom talk, dom/sub undertones, swearing.

**10th June 2020**

**Law's Apartment**

**5:24pm**

** One month remaining. **

“Not again…”

Fate was rarely kind mistress, as Law had discovered throughout various stages of his life. The cruelty that the universe conjured knew no bounds, was limitless in the sick torture it expelled towards the doctor. Law didn’t know what he had done to be the receiver of such a foul fate, constantly tortured by the demons of his past whenever he finally felt a semblance of happiness. Yet here he was, bearing the brunt of another twisted ploy, and he feared he had reached the end of his tolerance for them.

Law sucked in a breath as he laid his eyes upon the latest, mysterious envelope that had been slipped into his mailbox slot in the apartment lobby. He bent down to pick it up, long fingers tightening around the simple, unassuming paper casing, noticing that this one too lacked his address and that of the sender. There wasn’t even a postal stamp on the corner to indicate it had been sent through the mailing system, so Law surmised that it had been put there by the sender themselves, intentionally omitting any information about where it came from. Ironically enough, despite the absence of the sender details, Law knew who was to blame for the series of concerning envelopes that had been slipped into his mailbox, for who else could it be?

The same person who sent him that collar on Valentine’s Day.

The same person who he’d be facing for his pound of flesh in the near future.

Doflamingo.

Law tucked his mail underneath his arm and hurried for the elevator, glad that nobody else was around to see him becoming worked up. He tried to draw in a breath, recalling Chopper’s advice to take deep, calming breaths during times of stress to attempt to settle the unease, but he couldn’t get his mind off of the envelope – and more importantly, what could be hidden inside of it.

He remembered the date very clearly when the first of the blank envelopes had started popping up in his mailbox. He remembered turning the considerably thick package in his hands, holding it up to the light to try and see the outlines through the paper. He had shrugged, taking his mail up to the apartment and tossing it on his coffee table alongside his subscription magazine and electricity bill. Law had barely paid it any mind after all, slightly brain-dead from a hospital shift, and wanting to shower the smell of it off of his skin. When he had torn open the peculiar envelope after he had washed and eaten he had just about lost his lunch, dropping it and the contents onto the ground in shock. He mouth had gone dry, his eyes widened like saucers in bewilderment, and his mind was as blank as the white envelope as he took in the subject matter scattered across his carpet.

Photographs.

Of Law.

Upon closer inspection, Law realised that these were candid, random shots of him that he wasn’t intentionally posing for. They were taken of him, but not when he was prepared or even _aware_ of a camera being pointed his way. The thought itself, of somebody having been so close to him without his knowing, was enough to make him sick – and he hadn’t even looked through all of them at that stage.

They were snapshots of the young doctor going about his daily life, in places he visited frequently and regularly. With shaky fingers, Law had gathered up the photographs and dared spare a glance across the glossy prints, an increasing feeling of disgust spreading through his trembling form as he noticed the date and time printed in the corner of each one. At first he thought it had all been a joke since he had received them on April first – April Fool’s Day. Many of his friends enjoyed the celebration, especially Luffy, Ussop, Shachi, and Chopper. He dismissed it as a practical joke, perhaps Ussop trying to prank him in the spirit of both the day and his birthday shenanigans. Law even tried to pry the information out of the mechanic, telling him in a haughty voice the next time he had seen him that he hadn’t appreciated the joke at all.

Ussop had simply looked confused, saying he didn’t pull any pranks on him this year.

Law hadn’t believed him, until the second set of photographs came in not a week later. All very similar, with one in particular being a cruel form of irony; a shot taken from across the street of his apartment complex, zoomed into the lobby, showing Law from behind the two-glass doors of his building checking his fucking mailbox.

The other photographs weren’t any less creepy. There was one, possibly taken from a floor in the building opposite his own as it was level with Law’s bedroom window, of the doctor in front of his closet mirror, picking out his clothes for the day. There was another one of Law walking down the street, smile on his face while he talked into his phone. But the ones that were most invasive, the ones that chilled Law to his very core, were the various snapshots of him at the hospital. His place of _work._ Where he spent the majority of his time, where he surely, _surely_ would have seen someone take photographs of him. Law was known for being a perceptive person, so how could he miss something like that? Granted not all of them were inside the hospital, there were some clearly taken from outside; but still… _how_ could he not have seen anything? And how could _nobody_ have noticed either?

Law had no time to dwell on the manner of the matter, because after receiving and reviewing that second envelope of photographs he had suddenly found himself curled up on the floor trying to gasp for air, feeling as though he had been dunked in freezing icy water, waiting for the moment the shock stopped his lungs from working. Random bouts of panic attacks had re-entered his life these some months that he had narrowly been able to hide from Kid, from even before the first letter had materialised in his mailbox. Work stress from his new position topped with memories of past damaging experiences that had been triggered by that stupid Valentine’s gift created the perfect recipe for distress, which Law was unfortunately being consumed by piece by agonising piece. Now, he had the added worry with these weekly-to-fortnightly envelopes that demonstrated a deeply disturbing invasion of his privacy. It was as though Law had invisible clammy hands feeling their way up and down his back, the touch unwanted and violating. A reminder that he was being monitored like some kind of fucking zoo animal, needing to constantly watch his six because he couldn’t shake the suspicion that somebody was eying him from behind. It wasn’t just his physical wellbeing he needed to worry about; now his psyche was suffering, and that was harder to heal than his body. 

Frustratingly, Law felt that his hands were tied in terms of solving the problem. He felt that he lacked enough information to go to the police with his problems and knew that even if he was prompted to reveal his suspicions on who was sending them, he wouldn’t drop Doflamingo’s name out of fear the other would increase his efforts in ruining his life. And Law certainly wasn’t going to make contact with the man who was systemically damaging sanity via what was clearly a form of mental torture.

Law didn’t think that the shitstorm of his life could get any worse. He was already a sufferer of Murphy’s fucking Law, what else could possibly go wrong from here?

Turns out, that was a famous last thought. Law should have known by now that one terrible thing was often a prelude to something even more harrowing and disastrous. That’s what happened with the photographs, which had started out with individual shots of Law and Law alone. After the fourth set had been delivered, that was no longer the case. Law was no longer the only person on camera.

His friends were included too.

The doctor couldn’t believe his eyes. There weren’t as many secretive photos of his friends as there had been of just himself, but the fact that they existed at all was cause for concern. There Law was with Shachi and Penguin, dressed in their surgical scrubs, their backs retreating in the hallway of the hospital. A full house at the Flaming Phoenix, Law overseeing a game of pool between Zoro and Sanji, Nami in the background with a fistful of bills from her makeshift betting table. Luffy trying to jump on his back at the park, Law juggling a takeaway cup of coffee and books he had borrowed from the library, a scowl on his face while Chopper and Bepo were laughing and pointing their way…

Law had thrown the fuck up after seeing those pictures, the entire ordeal being even more alarming than before. He could only assume what was being implied by involving his friends; they were collateral. Perhaps it was also serving as a deterrent for Law to contact the authorities, but he couldn’t be certain. What was clear, was that Law was being sent a warning; his friends were just as in danger of Doflamingo’s wrath as he was.

Finally reaching his apartment, Law locked the door behind him and switched on the light. It was dark outside, but that didn’t stop Law from keeping the curtains of his windows drawn shut. He was fearful of even stepping in front of one these days, lest he once again become the subject of more photographs. He didn’t even feel safe in his apartment anymore, especially when he was alone. There was some form of relief when Kid stayed over which thankfully happened often, but his boyfriend wouldn’t be there tonight. Kid had messaged Law earlier saying that he and Killer would be spending the night at Heat and Wire’s, where they planned on staying up to watch some foreign soccer game that was playing at some god-awful early hour. 

Double checking that the front door had been locked, Law took the envelope with him to the living room. He sat on the couch, holding the weighted package in hand, wondering if it was worth opening it after already knowing what would be inside. He had half a mind to throw the cursed thing out, but curiosity got the better of him and he hastily ripped it open.

“Gods above… _no…_ ”

Law’s voice was scarcely a whisper as he took the latest set of photographs.

Kid. These ones were of Kid.

His fingers started to tremble again as he sifted through the shots of his boyfriend looking completely unawares. Some were of Kid and Law, others were of Kid alone, all equally as disturbing and spine-chilling as the rest of the pictures that had been sent. There was, however, a difference. Kid’s smiling face in each one was circled and crossed out with a thick red marker.

Every. Single. One.

Law leaned back on the couch, tossing the photos aside. His eyes watered and his throat tightened with the build-up of a defeated sob. Even when Law was so far away from Doflamingo, he could never seem to escape the others clutches, always finding himself being toyed with when he least expected it. It was as if puppet strings were hooked firmly into Law’s flesh, the bindings wrapping around his limbs tightly, only allowing him to move when it was for the man’s amusement. Doflamingo had claimed many times that he never cared about who Law saw when they were separated, because Law would always return to him every year therefore giving him no reason to worry; however, for some reason Kid seemed to be an exception. Not once had Doflamingo made such an obvious threat before. Whether or not he was targeting Kid for a particular reason or just doing this to play with Law’s mind, it didn’t matter. Law understood the intention of these communications. Kid was in danger, and it was up to Law to get him out of it. In other reasons, if Law wanted to keep Kid safe…

He needed to break up with him.

**\----------**

Law was tense when Kid stepped into his apartment a few days later, the mechanic greeting him with a charming smile and a quick kiss to his temple before shrugging off his leather jacket and hanging it on the rack by the door. He went into a spiel about his day at work as he made his way to the kitchen, complaining about how it was one jackass customer after another that took up all of his time so that he didn’t get any kind of break. Law followed him there, quiet as he observed the other clatter around his kitchen to make a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches. He offered one to Law too, who shook his head, opting instead to lean a hip against the countertop and listen to his boyfriend recount other aspects of his busy day, internally attempting to muster his courage to break up with Kid.

Law’s skin prickled and he shuddered, practically able to hear how fast his heart was beating. To say he was nervous was a vast understatement; he was brimming with anxiety over what he was about to do, of what he was about to _ruin._ Kid was truly the best he had had, in so many senses of the word. He never believed that finding somebody so ideal was a possibility for himself, content to spend the rest of his days alone while yearning for a person that didn’t exist. Making a personal connection with another and being so raw and exposed to them was a terrifying thought. Learning to trust after promises past were so easily broken could only be done so with small, shaky, apprehensive steps. Who would have thought that a cheeky, loud, mechanic from the south would have been that perfect person? Kid, who crashed his way through the strong protective shell that Law surrounded himself in, without a care in the world about how his actions would change the doctor’s outlook on life and love…

And Law was going to destroy it. When their love was at its peak, still white-hot and burning like an uncontrollable fire, overflowing with brightness and positivity. He was going to tear down everything they were and everything they could be without giving Kid an explanation as to why. Law knew that the truth would be dangerous territory to be sucked into; instead, he had to fabricate a reason entirely, because he believed that was the only way to protect the both of them. Doflamingo was dangerous, a vicious predator, like an animal that took delight in toying with its food before devouring it piece by bloodied painful piece; his discrete messages weren’t to be taken lightly. Kid’s life was in danger so long as he was associated with Law. Thus, the only sensible course of action for Law to take would be to sever their relationship and quietly move back to his mundane, unexciting, dull life before Kid.

Gods. Law’s heart throbbed painfully in protest at the dreary thoughts that clouded his mind. He willed himself to steel his resolve, avoiding eye contact with those wildfire orbs that looked upon him with nothing but admiration and kindness.

Before Law could say anything, Kid was dragging him to the living room, his grilled cheese sandwiches tossed haphazardly onto a plate while he excitedly reminded his boyfriend that a new episode of the series they were watching together updated today. “Been lookin’ forward to this all day, I’ve got no fucking clue how they’re going to deal with that cliff-hanger from the last episode.” Kid said, plopping down onto the couch and patting the cushion next to him for Law. The raven-haired man perched himself awkwardly at the edge of the seat, not saying much as Kid started the television up and scrolled through to Law’s streaming account.

Law couldn’t concentrate on what was going on, the flashing colours and scenes on the screen not doing well to serve as a distraction from the thoughts that plagued him. He knew what he needed to do, but every time he reared himself up to speak about it he’d take one look at Kid’s face and he’d flounder, backing out like a coward. What made matters worse was when partway through their program Kid had reached over to pull Law towards him, lounging back onto the couch with the raven-haired man almost seated in his lap. The closeness and warmth radiating from Kid stirred within Law feelings of security, peace, _home,_ the strong arms wrapped around him a reminder about how safe Law felt with the man and why he didn’t want to let him go in the first place.

Fuck, Law felt pathetic. He could hardly even speak let alone bring up how he wished to end their relationship. Where was the steadfast, self-assured Law that displayed nothing but confidence, like when he was at the hospital? Why couldn’t he just rip the Band-Aid off and say what needed to be said to get this torturous ordeal over with?

“You okay?” Kid muttered, stirring Law from his thoughts. “You been quiet tonight. And ya heart’s goin’ real fast there.”

Law glanced down, noticing now how Kid’s hand was splayed against his chest, right above the rapid beating place of his heart. “Y-yes. I’m fine. Just… distracted. Not particularly invested, I suppose.” Law responded.

Kid nodded, the fingers of his hand slowly creeping their way across Law’s chest to his prominent jawline, tilting the other’s head up so that they were face to face. “Maybe I’ve been paying attention to the wrong thing.” He said, one side of his lips quirking upward. “Looks like you need it more than the TV does.”

It was impossible not to become lost in the sea of Eustass Kid. Law didn’t even need to think before instinctively inching forward to press his lips against his boyfriends, relishing in the delightful and familiar taste. Smoke and fire assaulted his taste buds as he keened lightly, Kid’s hands working quickly to flip him over so they were chest to chest, pulling him closer and hold him tighter before slipping underneath his loose top to sink his fingernails into the small of Law’s back. Beneath him, Law’s pants began to tighten, the tell-tale sign of an erection building up from the friction of their crotches rubbing against each other. Law lightly gasped as teeth sunk into his bottom lip, pulling on it and breaking their kiss before reattaching themselves at his neck and biting down hard. Kid’s fingers had found their way in their intrepid exploration of his body to Law’s nipples, pinching them firmly between his thumb and forefinger. The nipping, stinging love bites and the teasing tweaking of his sensitive nubs were the right amount of pressure to stir Law’s cock even further, drawing a full-bodied shiver from the doctor.

 _“K-Kid,”_ Law said breathlessly, Kid’s burning touches dulling his reasoning and rationality.

_You’re leading him on, you need to stop, you need to end this before it’s too late-_

“Fuck,” Kid muttered into his neck, licking away at the mark he had left there. His fingers curled against Law’s chest, thumbs massaging the area around his nipples. His half-lidded eyes were full of tenderness and longing, and Law bit his lip as he was drawn deeper and deeper into Kid’s gaze. “Law,” Kid said in a husky voice. “I love you.”

Time stopped. Law froze. The three small words with a mountain of meaning behind them hit him like a brick wall, stunning him into silence. Kid must have noticed the widened eyes and look of surprise on Law’s face, speaking again before the other could muster up a response. “You don’t have to say it back. You told me before you thought you were falling in love with me. I was to, with you. Guess I got there first.” Kid said with a short chuckle.

“Eustass-ya,” Law swallowed thickly, trying not to allow the shakiness in his voice from seeping out. “I… I can’t-”

“I know.” Kid interrupted. “And it’s fine if you’re not there yet. I just… had to tell you. Felt like the right time.” His fingers trailed down Law’s sides, reaching for the hem of his pants. He popped open the button in one swift movement, taking his sweet time undoing the zipper, allowing the sound of it echo throughout the room. “Now let me show you how much I love you.”

Law felt his vision swim as he battled with his body’s desire to become undone within the embrace of his lover just one more time. The last time reaching the euphoric high that nobody else could ever provide.

Kid’s fiery touch was difficult to ignore, ripples of pleasure travelling along Law’s sensitive bare skin as articles of his clothing were removed. Soon he was lying on his back on the couch, Kid atop him and holding both his wrists in a powerful grip. Law’s tongue was working around fingers of Kid’s free hand, licking and sucking the appendages, lubricating them with his saliva. Their hard cocks were rubbing against one another with delicious friction, leaving Law moaning around Kid’s fingers from the sensation before they were removed with a ‘pop’. Kid’s wet pointer finger found its way to Law’s backside, teasing his quivering entrance before pressing in. Law’s hips moved on their own accord, wiggling as Kid’s finger pushed in and out, a second and third added inside him shortly after, preparing him thoroughly. “You open up so well for me now.” Kid whispered into his ear, voice rumbling with power. “Tell me beautiful, how should I pleasure you today? Should I tie you up on the bed and play with your gorgeous body slowly? Make you wait for it, just how you like it?” Kid continued to murmur, gently removing his fingers. Law made a strained noise, glancing down to see the other already lining his dripping cock up with his puckered entrance. “Or should I fuck you hard and fast right here on the couch?”

 _“Eustass-ya,”_ Law breathed, his throat feeling constricted while his heart pounded fast into his chest. He wanted this so badly, wanted to be with Kid one more time before it all ended… but he couldn’t shake an itching sensation beneath his skin telling him he was doing the wrong thing. It was a feeling of apprehension, that allowing himself to be held by Kid this last time was unfair to the both of them, that it shouldn’t be happening at all despite his body’s yearning for it.

His mind wouldn’t stop running, even as Kid slowly inched his cock into Law’s tightness. Panic began to bubble within Law as he realised that he wasn’t enjoying this as much as he usually would, the fear inhibiting him from giving himself wholly to Kid.

_We have to stop, it’s not safe to be like this anymore, not when that life-ruining fucker knows how much losing you would mean to me-_

“Gods above,” Kid groaned, thrusting into Law hard. “You’re so gorgeous, what’d I do to get someone like you?”

_No._

“Never met a man so perfect for me.”

_S-stop._

“I think you’re my forever, Law.”

That was the breaking point. For the first time, Law uttered a word he’d never needed to use before with Kid. It came out of him in a cry, shattering the world around them.

“R-red! _Red!”_

Kid’s eyes widened, his entire body stilling. Law fell apart beneath Kid’s very eyes, gasping for a breath as panic overcame him, desperately try and push him off as months’ worth of tears finally began streaking down his face. Kid reacted as he promised he would all those months ago when he and Law discussed the use of their safe-word system, loosening his hold on the other and pulling out entirely.

“Oh _shit_ Law, I’m so sorry!” Kid apologised to his sobbing boyfriend. “Did I hurt you? Do I need to call a doctor? Are you alright?”

Law couldn’t respond, curled up in a trembling ball as he let out those pent-up fears and frustrations, wheezing violently as he became lost in another anxiety attack. When Kid realised the other wasn’t answering his questions, he turned instead to encouraging Law to breathe in time with him, reaching out to rub the others back in a circular motion. The smooth timbre of Kid’s voice was a necessary comfort to Law, whose state of panic lasted only a few minutes despite feeling like a lifetime. Kid’s soothing hand and alleviating words of ‘everything is going to be okay’ slowly drew him back to the surface.

“Are you okay?” Kid asked again once Law was finally coherent. The raven-haired man couldn’t even look at Kid, puffy eyes staring into the back of the couch instead. He didn’t trust his voice, and so shook his head in response.

“Alright. I’m gonna go and get your blanket from your room. Hear that? I’ll only be gone a second, think you can manage on your own?” Kid continued.

Law hesitated before nodding slowly and shortly after Kid was running off to Law’s bedroom. He returned with one of the blankets from the bed draped across his arm and a glass of water in hand, the tell-tale sound of boiling water in the background indicating he had taken a quick stop in the kitchen too, telling Law he was going to make him a tea when the kettle was done. Kid helped cover his boyfriend’s trembling form with the blanket, gently helping sit him up so that Law could take a sip of the cool drink.

“I’m so sorry Law. I had no idea I was hurting you that much.” Kid said, sitting on the coffee table in front of Law with a guilty expression on his face.

“It wasn’t you.” Law responded back quietly, his voice scratchy. “I… I needed things to stop. Thank you for respecting that.”

“Nothing to thank me for. S’why we have a safe word in the first place.” Kid mumbled, scratching the back of his head. He glanced down, realising he was still nude, reaching for his discarded boxers and quickly slipping them on. “What happened? You’ve never… reacted like that before.”

Law drew the blanket closer to his body, settled by the warmth it brought him. “I had a lot on my mind.” He admitted. “Eustass-ya, there’s something I need to tell you but haven’t been able to.”

“You can tell me anything Law, I won’t judge ya. You trust me, yeah?” Kid responded, reaching through the blanket to take hold of Law’s hand.

“That’s the problem,” Law mumbled. “I trust you more than anyone else, which is why this is so difficult for me to do.” His voice quivered and he squeezed Kid’s fingers tightly, teary eyes finally meeting those of his boyfriend’s. “Eustass-ya… w-we… we can’t be together anymore. We need to break up.”

Kid frowned, and he cocked his head to the side. Law’s heart tightened in his chest as he waited for the other to react, the deafening silence crushing him. When Kid finally spoke, it was with a question. “What do you mean?” He asked slowly, as if still processing the bomb of information in his mind. “We’re going great as far as relationships go, why do you want to break up?”

“A-ah, you see, Eustass-ya…” Law started to say, trailing off as he tried to flip through the reasons he had prepared earlier. He found that there was no excuse he could come up with that was good enough for Kid. Their relationship _was_ rock solid, they rarely argued, disagreements were resolved within minutes, neither of them were cheating, Law had admitted many times he was falling in love with the man… what the hell could he even say that would be halfway believable? He didn’t quite think ‘it’s not you it’s me’ would cut it either, even though there was truth in that statement.

Biting the bullet, Law decided he’d try to be somewhat sincere while omitting what he could. After all, he couldn’t have Kid finding out about Doflamingo and going down that rabbit hole. “Y-you see, I’ve not been entirely truthful with you about aspects of my life, and as expected my past is catching up to me. There are certain obstacles in my way and I don’t want to drag you down to face them with me. I have to… deal with them myself. And to do that, I can’t be with you anymore. I’m… I’m so sorry Eustass-ya.”

He didn’t realise he was crying until Kid’s fingers were gently wiping the tears that were streaking down his cheeks. His wobbly, quivering voice betrayed him, sounding unconvincing about his decision.

“Law, if people broke up because of shit that happened way back when, there wouldn’t be any couples left. That’s baggage.” Kid told him softly. “Hell if we’re talking about the past then I haven’t exactly been a saint.”

“This is different.” Law said quickly.

“What is it? Maybe if you told me-”

“I can’t do that.” Law interjected, shaking his head.

Kid frowned again, and a strangely knowing expression crossed his face. For a fleeting moment, even though he knew it was impossible, Law was worried that the other knew about his dirtiest secret involving Doflamingo. “I don’t want to break up with you.” Kid said. “I’m fucking crazy about you Law, I’ve never felt this way before with anyone else. And I mean it when I say I lov-”

“Please don’t say it again,” Law said with a choked up voice, becoming overwhelmed all over again and making a move to stand from the couch. He needed distance, lest he break down all the fuck over again. Those sweet words… he felt so undeserving of them, and so conflicted about hearing them. He craved love but was utterly fearful of it too. Law had been hurt so many times in the past, had _lost_ so many people he cared about, so learning to trust and love another was rife with uncertainty. He wanted to open his heart to Kid even more than he had already, but the thought of losing him in the process was terrifying. He couldn’t lose Kid too, alongside all the others that had been taken away from him.

Kid was unrelenting, a firm grip on Law’s shoulder preventing the raven-haired man from leaving. The fire in his eyes burned anew. “Law, I love you. I promise you there’s nothing you can say that will stop me from loving you, if that’s what you’re scared of.” He said with complete confidence. “You can trust me. If there’s something wrong, then I might be able to help you.”

Law bit his bottom lip, his will to continue this path wavering. He was so fucking confused, he didn’t know what to do in this situation. Not only that, he was _tired._ Sick of carrying such a weighed burden on his back, of trying to analyse all the prospects and the subsequent reactions of them. There was always a possibility that Kid would leave him with or without the truth; so should he just take the chance? Reveal all and hope that luck would be on his side in keeping the man he adored near? Or was this another lost cause in the making?

Letting out a hesitant sigh, Law made a new decision decision. He wasn’t sure if it was the right one, it could do more harm and good… but if he was going to gamble, then he was betting on Kid to save him. Law was convinced by now that he was going to spend the rest of his life with Kid, so he just… he had to take a chance and face his fears, and trust another person in a way he hadn’t ever allowed before. It was now or never.

“F-fine.” Law finally said quietly, resigning himself to his fate. “Let me tell you everything…”


	19. Determination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Kid, no,” Law interrupted quickly, heart skipping a beat as he realised what the other was about to say. “You can’t fight him, he’s too powerful-”
> 
>  _“I don’t care.”_ Kid hissed. “What that fucker’s doing to you is sick, and I’m not going to sit here and watch him destroy you all because he thinks he can get away with it. I’m going to fight for you Law, and you’re not going to stop me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! First off, I am so so sorry for the delay! Life got in the way, as it does, but it's here now! I know that the last chapter was a cliffhanger and that so many of you have been waiting. Words cannot express my appreciation for your patience and kind words. Thank you all so much for the continued support, it means the absolute world to me. I will reply to your comments, but since it's now 7am (I stayed up to finish/post this uwu), it might have to wait until I've had some sleep~ This chapter is very dialogue-heavy, but all important for backstory and plot and whatnot. Things are finally falling into place; and it won't be long now until we reach the end of this fic~
> 
> Tags/Warnings for Chapter 19: Minor character death, descriptions of death of loved ones, descriptions of death of children/siblings, descriptions of terminal illness, depressing/suicidal thoughts, mentions of mass killings/massacre of a group of people, mentions of violence, a fuckton of swearing. (This chapter delves into Law's past, so the warnings all apply and things do get angsty).

Sitting on the couch in his apartment, still wrapped securely in the comforting blanket that was around his shoulders, Law closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath as he prepared himself for what he was about to do. Kid moved from his spot where he had been sitting on the table to the couch, close enough for Law to feel the warmth radiating from him, their thighs barely brushing together. Law instinctively moved closer to his boyfriend, a silent acknowledgement that he was alright with being held now, having recovered from his panicked episode from earlier that evening.

“As I mentioned before,” Law began to say. “There are certain aspects about my past that I just… I can’t get away from and will, subsequently, prevent us from being together. Specifically, a person. He’s… w-well, possessive is quite the understatement, but I suppose that’s an accurate description of him. Possessive and dangerous, and not somebody I want the people I care about to associate with.”

“This an ex of yours?” Kid muttered, eyes growing dark. “One of those assholes who hurt you?”

Law simply nodded, resting his head against Kid’s chest and lowering it in shame, allowing the other to snake his arms around his body and hold him tight. He hated – _hated_ – having to talk about the abuse he had suffered in the bedroom caused Doflamingo, and others who he had turned to when trying to forget about the man’s hands all over his body. It distressed him terribly, admitting out loud that he had been put into a position of helplessness. His innocence had already been ripped away from him when he lost his family and city; Doflamingo took what was left of it, worsening his already ruinous life.

“At first, it wasn’t like that. A-actually, when I met him, he was offering to help me. When I was a child, I was suffering from an illness of which there was no cure. It was a terminal disease, called Amber Lead.”

Kid’s eyes widened in shock. “Terminal? Like fatal?” He repeated, worry laced in his voice. “You’re sick?”

Law shook his head, knowing that if he was going to explain his deal with Doflamingo, he needed to recount even further back for the entire story to make sense. Understandably, that was going to be tough to do; he hadn’t spoken about his past in detail before to anybody, not even Cora-san, who Law had trusted with his life. Kid would be the first person to have that information, and that was a terrifying reality. Kid would know of all Law’s secret, hidden shames; the dusty skeletons in his closet, the sinister fiends that haunted him on a daily basis, the monstrous events that had plagued him mentally for years… Everything that Law wanted to keep under lock and key, out in the open and shared.

Fuck.

Taking a shaky breath, Law started up his recount again. “Not anymore. H-however, had it not been for what could only be considered a miracle, I technically shouldn’t be alive right now. I was… supposed to die a long time ago. Actually, I believe that I’m… the sole survivor of the city I was born in. Up in the North Line, as you know. The city was called Flevance.”

“Was?”

“It… it doesn’t exist anymore.” Law explained. “What happened to my city was reprehensible. Flevance was beautiful, Eustass-ya. To me it was home, and I have many fond memories of playing in fluffy, soft snow and attending alluring night markets that were decorated with sparkling fairy lights. To others, it was a snowy paradise, an escape and getaway, especially for those living in busy crowded cities. Flevance was renowned for its almost heavenly charm by tourists, and much of that was thanks to an incredibly rare mineral that was discovered in vast deposits beneath the foundations of the city many generations ago. The ore – Amber Lead – could only be found in Flevance. Naturally, those who had settled in that land, mined the ore to build a city. Years later, when Flevance had become more advanced, the government was able to identify that Amber Lead was valuable and sought out by many people around the world. They rejoiced, and soon after the excavation of it increased exponentially, with many of the townspeople taking to the pickaxe in what became Flevance’s most dominating industry. The ore drew the attention of tourists and traders and visitors to the city, and was used for everything; it was smelted and shaped into jewellery, crafted into artisanal goods, sold to tourists, exported across the Lines in various forms… anything that could be shaped from it, was, and money began to roll into the city like never before. For good reason too; Flevance already looked like it was plucked straight out of Mariejois heaven. The bricks used to construct the buildings were pure white and shined so brightly even without the sun, giving the entire city the appearance of a fantasy novel come to life. Economically, we must have been one of the richest cities in the world, and the town – as well as the government – profited greatly from the industry. However…” Law swallowed thickly. “That’s where the fairy tale ends. W-what the people didn’t know was that the prolonged exposure to Amber Lead was detrimental to their health. They had been unknowingly mining this ore for years, slowly becoming poisoned. And our government… they knew. They knew years before it started to manifest as a wide-spread disease, but chose not to divulge the information to the townspeople because they feared it would stop them from working, thereby stop them from earning them money. So they kept silent and the industry continued to boom until a few decades later when… everything went to shit.”

Kid was clearly engrossed in the tale, his arms relaxing around Law as he leaned forward to listen intently. “What happened?” He asked.

“People in the town got sick. Deathly sick. The poisoning wasn’t traceable at first, but with every new generation the symptoms began to show more clearly until it was too late to fix it. The disease that spawned from the ore made itself known in the form of white spots on the body, which were initially dismissed as a simple skin discolouration until the townspeople began reporting intense internal pains before suddenly dropping like flies. There wasn’t any kind of cure or vaccine, so if you caught the disease – which they called Amber Lead Syndrome – you just lived with it until it finally killed you.” Law explained. “At that time, everybody thought it was contagious because of how quickly people seemed to be reporting symptoms. It was a new disease, so nobody really knew what to do. The government decided to lock Flevance off as a quarantine zone, stationing officers from the army and navy around the perimeter to ensure that nobody was let in or out. They promised aid but… it never arrived. The government didn’t do anything to help the citizens. And the officers that they had sent our way treated us like monsters, as if we had the power to infect them. Worst of all, the government didn’t even attempt to put funding into developing a cure. Local doctors and scientists were left to their own devices with very limited resources. There was no hope once the government eventually announced that there wasn’t anything it could do to help the city. Even with the best doctors on the case – including my own parents – nobody could find a way to rid a person of the disease once they had it.”

“And that disease… is what you had?” Kid asked.

“Yes.” Law said with a nod. “And by the time I was born, more information about Amber Lead had been uncovered. Specifically, that the lifespan of the population began to dwindle with every new generation. The disease wasn’t contagious, like the government said it was – instead, it was hereditary. Many of us had ancestors who worked in the mines those hundreds of years ago, so it became the norm to develop the symptoms early on. This was my case. I must have been six or seven when I got the first spots on my skin, and from that day on my fate was set. I wasn’t destined to live to adulthood Eustass-ya.”

Law bowed his head, closing his eyes a moment as he thought back onto the fateful day when he first noticed the white discolouration. He had been in the backyard, poking through the bushes his mother had tended after hearing the croaking of a frog. He enjoyed catching and releasing them, much to the disgust of his fellow peers at school who thought the game was strange and weird. When he extended his arm to snatch one up, there was a white spot stark against his naturally tanned skin that hadn’t been there the night before. Law had frowned, thinking perhaps it was just dust, and tried to rub it off with his thumb. When it remained, a sinking feeling entered his gut; he knew immediately what it meant. The sickness that was killing off the people of Flevance had ensnared Law into its unbreakable net, and all too soon in his short life did he have to come to terms with the fact that he was doomed to die from Amber Lead Disease.

“Jesus and Enel above, what the fuck?” Kid commented in surprise, his voice raised in anger. “And the government did nothing to fucking help?”

Law lifted his head, eyes dark with mixed stormy emotions of rage and sadness. His long fingers tightened around the blanket. “No. They didn’t do a damned thing,” He said. “I’m sure they wanted us to die so that the disease died with us. And they made that abundantly clear when rather than just let happen naturally, they took matters into their own hands in. What had started off as a quarantine, and ended up a massacre. Anybody who protested against the government, anybody who fought against their officers, anybody who tried to escape the zone… they were executed. So many people lost their lives trying to fight for their basic human rights… They… they even killed my parents Eustass-ya. S-slaughtered them at the hospital where they had been working on a cure. T-the government considered it treason, had the officers s-shot them like animals as a fucking example in front of the town, alongside anybody else who was aiding them. I-it was just me and my younger sister Lami and she was… she was already so sick-” Law’s throat tightened and he made a choked noise, eyes beginning to shine from the forming tears triggered by the bloody memories that he tried so desperately to lock away. Kid’s muscular arm’s tightened around Law once more, a hand gently stroking his back. One of Law’s own hands found Kids’, squeezing it tightly with trembling fingers. He took a few minutes to calm his stuttered breathing, waiting until he felt ready enough to continue before starting to speak again.

“Lami… my sister developed Amber Lead younger than I had. She was four years old when she got her spots. She was more susceptible, I think, and so when the symptoms started she was hit hard. S-she… she died a month after my parents did. A-alone in our house.” Gut-wrenching guilt consumed him at the admission that his sister had been alone when she died. Law had felt as though he had failed Lami, because he hadn’t been there for her when she passed away. His absence hadn’t been intentional, he hadn’t wanted to distance himself; but he blamed himself all the same for letting Lami down. His sister had been bedridden, all scraggy and thin, unable to even haul herself up to go to the kitchen or bathroom on her own. Her hair had turned white too, the final sign of the disease. Law had been caring for her, which – at her stage of sickness – really meant making her comfortable for the inevitable. Law forced himself to put on a brave face for her whenever she whimpered or sniffled or cried, even if it felt like a thousand knives were lodged into his stomach at how helpless the situation was. He tried desperately to do what he could to manage her intense discomfort, despite knowing his efforts were futile. He’d read her stories to lull her to sleep, brush and braid her hair, sing her his mother’s nursery rhymes… anything to try and get her to crack a smile or forget about how she was slowly dying.

Although there was no cure for Amber Lead, there were some medications that Law could give Lami to dull the pain enough for her to sleep and relax. The problem was that their stash at home was exhausted. Many stores close by were closed and any form of medication was difficult to come by, painkilling pills practically worth more than money. Still, Law was determined to find some for his sister, even if it meant breaking into a place and stealing whatever supply they had. He left the house, promising Lami he’d be back as soon as possible. Every day of his life, for years afterwards, Law regretted having made that decision. He could still hear Lami’s small, broken voice in his head begging in him to stay. He could see the tears falling down her hollow and pale cheeks, her bone-thin fingers outstretched towards him, weakly attempting to grip his clothes. But she had been in torment, tiny form wracked with involuntary shudders from the seizing up of her organs and the stabbing pains in her body. He couldn’t stand seeing her in such a way, and knew that she’d find some relief if he left to get the medication. So, Law had tucked her in to bed besides her stuffed animals and ragdolls and bunches of flowers he had picked for her, pressed a quick kiss to her temple, and left.

Law had never made it back home. Shortly after he had arrived at the store about an hour’s walk away, his house – and those in the surrounding streets and blocks – were purged in a flurry of explosives and gunfire. By the time Law had realised those blasting, booming noises were coming from the direction of his home, it was too late. Medicine forgotten, he ran back as fast as his little legs could take him only to find the residential area in ruins, parts still simmering from the flames that had engulfed them. Law had wailed loudly, vocal cords straining as shouts were ripped out of him into the smoke-filled sky. He sunk onto his knees, motionless, mourning the loss of his final family member, and blaming himself for every second Lami had suffered while waiting for him to save her from her pain.

He didn’t remember passing out, but he had. When Law awoke, he was a care home that was being maintained by local sisters from the town’s church.

“I had to leave Flevance after that,” Law explained to Kid, his voice decreasing in volume. It was barely a whisper now, Kid craning his neck to catch the soft-spoken words. “It was no longer safe to be in that town. The woman who had brought me into the home said that the navy wanted us to gather there so that they could send us off to receive treatment in other cities. But, if that was the case, why would they burn down buildings with sick people inside who needed treatment most? Why would they kill innocent children who were already in dying?”

“’Cause they weren’t going to help.” Kid mumbled knowingly. “They were just trying to keep everyone together so you’d all be easier to kill.”

“Those were my thoughts too.” Law responded. “We were sitting ducks in that care home, and I knew I had to get out. It was a week after Lami had died when I was lucid enough to run away. Other than just leaving Flevance, I didn’t have a plan or direction of where I was going; I just had to _leave.”_

“Where’d you go?”

“To the edge of the city, where those government dogs were patrolling the area.” Law explained. “Flevance was essentially drained of food stock, so it made sense that the navy officers and policemen would have their own way of receiving supplies. Sure enough, they had set up stations and camps along the border with sturdy tents, where it looked like they were getting crates sent to them via horse-drawn carts. Since it was late, many of the officers were sleeping. I managed to sneak onto one of those cards and hid myself between empty boxes with a cloth covering that was lying around. By the time the sun rose, I was already being taken out of the city. The problem was, I didn’t know _where_ I was headed, other than perhaps maybe a navy ship or another campsite. I couldn’t be seen there since they’d know immediately I had escaped the quarantine. So, while the cart was still being pulled along the road, I jumped off of the side and started running in whatever direction I was facing. Nobody heard me, nobody saw me, and I was never followed.”

“Fuck,” Kid mouthed, slightly shaking his head. “That must have been hard.”

Law nodded into Kid’s chest, a tear slipping down his cheek from his red, watery eyes. “It was.” He whispered. “I had no money, so I stole when I needed food. I had no home, so I slept underneath trees or in alleyways. And I always had to be extra careful, since I couldn’t risk being seen by anybody either. The spots on my body would be a dead giveaway as to where I came from. I was afraid, and lonely, and just… so fucking angry at the world. In those early days after I left Flevance, I pushed myself to live in the hopes that somehow, someday, I’d be able to get my revenge on the bastards who killed my family and ruined my city. The rage was the only thing keeping me going. Anger and grief were the only two emotions that existed inside me for a long time. I just wanted to find a way to cause as much chaos as possible before I died, take as many navy officers down with me, hell I’d even break into the government building and shoot them all before shooting myself if that’s what it took. I wanted to inflict pain on others, greater than the pain I was already dealing with. And that… that opportunity presented itself about a month after I had escaped my city. That’s when I met the man I mentioned earlier…”

There had been a blizzard, the day Law had met Doflamingo. Just like the man himself could be, it was cold and bitter, biting and sharp. Destructive. The snow was swirling around in the air so violently that Law hadn’t been able to see in front of him as he trudged along the street of the town he had been staying in – Spider Mills, as was written on the signage that was visibly, considering most of it was buried under a blanket of blinding whiteness. Looking back on it now, Law could identify that he was mostly likely suffering from hypothermia. He had been freezing, socks soaked in his torn shoes, thin clothing wet and tightly coiled around his body, doing nothing to protect him from the bone-chilling, biting cold. He was starving too, gurgles of displeasure from his stomach felt more than heard considering the whistling of the wind about him. He hadn’t eaten a proper meal in weeks, and was absolutely ravenous. 

“That was the only time I felt like I couldn’t go on anymore,” Law confessed. “I truly thought that I was going to die until I saw… him. Law bit his lip, eyes glazing over at the memory. “A tall man, walking down the street completely unbothered by the snowstorm, buttoned up in a long trench coat and wearing these thick boots that made a crunching noise when they stepped down against the sleet. He had… an air of authority about him. Walked with his back straight and his head held high, like he was sure the terrifyingly fast wind speed couldn’t knock him down no matter how hard it tried. Sure he had a goofy-looking pink feathered boa around his neck, but it didn’t take away from the power he seemed to hold. I was expecting him to walk straight past me, but instead, he stopped right in front of me…”

_Looking up through half-lidded eyes, a shadow loomed over Law as he sat shivering against the side of a building. Immediately, his defences were put up at his first human interaction since leaving Flevance, and he tried to tug his clothing around his body to hide the white splotches on his skin. Law wouldn’t put it past the government to track down an escapee with the intention of killing them on sight, and even though he found it too hard to move away from the stranger right now, he wasn’t going down without a fight._

_“What do we have here?” The man said with a hint of amusement in his smooth voice. “Are you lost, little one?”_

_“G-g-go a-a-away,” Law responded with chattering teeth, curling in on himself in an attempt to get as much warmth as possible._

_The man’s eyebrow quirked upwards, above the pointy sunglasses he wore – why on Earth he wore sunglasses during a snowstorm, Law had no idea – and a toothy grin stretched across his face. “You’ve got quite the courage there. Tell me, little one; do you plan on dying today? Is that why you’re out here in this blizzard?”_

_Law glanced down, processing the question. A strong part of him… wanted to say yes. The world had already beaten him down, hadn’t it? It had certainly proven by now that his only purpose for being alive was to continually suffer blow after breaking blow. He had no home to return to, no family to seek comfort in… he didn’t have a place in this world anymore. Perhaps it would be better for him to simply close his eyes. Succumb to the cold of the snowstorm, allow the weather to take his life before the deadly disease could, a last hurrah that Law could relish in. A middle finger to whatever gods that had abandoned him, the largest ‘fuck you!’ to the universe he could muster. Maybe he wouldn’t suffer as much this way, if his heart stopped beating now. The trauma, the grief, the emotional pain… he wouldn’t have to think about it anymore. He could just… let go. Be reunited with his family and friends. Leave this life of suffering…_

_No._

_Law’s conscious spoke to him loud and clear, breaking through the depressive thought he was debating in his mind. As if an older version of himself was whispering in his ear, advising him sticking with the decision he had been obsessing over since his escape._

_‘You can’t die yet’, the voice had spoken. ‘You need avenge your home, your family, your friends. You need to tell the world about what happened in Flevance, and make the government pay for what they did. They ruined your life; now you have to ruin theirs. Mother and father and Lami will be waiting for you when the time is right; but that time isn’t now.’_

_Perhaps he was on the precipice of delirium. He had only had himself to talk to for a month, was dizzy with hunger and cold, was not thinking very clearly. But those words, that promise that he had sworn to himself were ringing true, and Law knew then that he was not ready to die in this snowstorm. As long as he was breathing, he was going to push himself and try his damned best to avenge his loved ones._

_“N-n-no,” He ended up shouting in response to the man’s question with chattering teeth. “T-there’s s-ssss-somethings I-i- need- tt-t-o do!”_

_“Oh? And what’s that, little one?”_

_“R-r-revenge… _r-revenge…_ I-I n-need t-to ge-t re-revenge-!”_

_Shouting it into the empty air around him made it seem even more real, and filled Law with determination unlike any other. A wicked smile appeared on the man’s face, full of poison and promise. “You’re in luck then,” He said with a purr, bending down and resting his elbows on his knees. There was a shine in his sunglasses, and although Law couldn’t see the man’s eyes he knew that he was being scrutinised. “Revenge happens to be my speciality, little one. I can help you get it, if you come with me.” Slowly, the man extended his hand, each of his long fingers uncurling slowly. It was… an offering. A chance for Law to live. To have his fucking cake and devour it, too._

_He didn’t hesitate. Not one bit. With numb fingers, he reached out almost instantly and wrapped his tiny hands around that calloused and large palm. The man had chuckled lightly – “fufufu how courageous!” – before gently lifting him upward. Law collapsed into his arms, feeling light as a feather as the man wrapped his boa around his shivering body, and resumed his walk down the street. He lived close by, he said, in a house with his family. There would be food there, to nourish his bone-thin body. It would be warm there too, with fresh clothes for him to change into, and dry blankets to extinguish the cold he was feeling. And yes, there were other children like him at the house, abandoned and alone. Law wouldn’t be lonely anymore. He wouldn’t be alone…_

“He saved me from the blizzard.” Law said to Kid. “Took me in, made sure I was cared for when we reached his place. It wasn’t really his home, as I later found out. Just an empty warehouse that he had been staying in temporarily for work purposes. Funnily enough, he had been in Flevance right as the quarantine started, hiding out from some police officers who were chasing him, not realising that the city was facing such a difficult time. The rest of his family were waiting for him in Spider Mills. He managed to slip out completely unnoticed, like I did. It was completely coincidental that we met up the way we did.”

“This is… the man you mentioned earlier?” Kid asked.

“Yes. He called what we had a family, but it was pretty clear this was a gang. It wasn’t… all that bad at the beginning. Tough love, I guess you could call it, but I didn’t complain. I was living in a goddamn mansion of a house, I was cared for, always fed, and was taught how to fight and defend myself. As I mentioned, I didn’t care for anything else other than my revenge. I trained under him even when I started getting sick from my disease. He sent me off with his brother to find a doctor, even though I told him there was no cure for what I had. His brother…” A small, sad smile appeared on Law’s face. “The other children and I hated his brother when we first met, and the feeling was mutual. Cora-san was a quiet guy, always kept his head down; but the one thing he was vocal about was how much he disliked kids, and he made it quite known whenever we stepped out of line. I didn’t want to travel with him, but I was getting worse and I wouldn’t be able to continue fighting for the family if I didn’t get treatment. God, we bickered so much on our travelling together through the North Line. Kicked my ass a few times too, but I got him back in other ways. I didn’t think he cared about me all that much; but when he saw how doctors would point and scream at me, would refuse to treat me, would threaten to call the police to get rid of me… I guess it changed him. Cora-san and I started getting along more with every rejection. He… he never gave up fighting for me, either, even though I had given up fighting for myself a long time ago. I remember him punching one doctor in the face so hard he broke their tooth because I had started to cry over the shit he was saying about me. I’ve never… hell, not even Cora-san’s brother protected me like that. He saved me from a blizzard, but Cora-san saved me from myself. And the more faith he had that we’d find a cure, the more I wanted to live for myself, and not for the family.”

“Bet your ‘saviour’ didn’t like that.” Kid mumbled.

“You have no idea.” Law responded. “Cora-san and I did find a doctor. He was kind of a last resort; many people called him a quack, since his methods didn’t following the norm. But it worked. He managed to heal me. The treatment took a long time, and it was incredibly painful, but I was cured. All the white spots on my arm had disappeared, I no longer felt lethargic and exhausted all the time. I was free of that fucking disease. And by then, Cora-san had reminded me about how good life could be if I took it into my own hands. That I didn’t have to take the path of destruction I was headed; I could change courses, go back to my dream of becoming a doctor like my parents. We could leave that gang together, start anew, face the world together with a smile and a laugh.” Law’s eyes began to water again, and he sagged in Kid’s hold while shaking his head against the other’s chest. “We weren’t able to do that. As it turned out, Cora-san was on thin ice was his brother already, so he wasn’t trusted by the family. One of the members had been ordered to tail us the entire time we were away. When I was cured, and Cora-san and I tried to head out of the North Line. The tail reported back to the head, and we were stopped before we could reach the border. Cora-san and his brother got into a huge argument and then… then…”

Red. Red splatters on the white snow. Blood sprinkling in the air. Cora-san’s eyes widening in shock, painted lips parted in a silent scream. His strong, tall frame bent backwards from the force of the gunshot that pierced through his body at point-blank range, caving back into the powdered snow. Law was frozen as a statue. Petrified. Numb.

Slow motion… he saw it all happen in slow motion, repeating over and over in his mind before everything began to blur. The reality sunk in as tears obscured his vision as he shouted, running for the body and collapsing over it. His hands pressed over the bullet wound, trying to stop the bleeding while Cora-san gasped for air, alternating between calling his name and letting out a pain-filled cry of agony.

“H-he told me he loved me one last time before he stopped breathing altogether.” Law sniffled. “And I was forcibly taken back to gang’s mansion for punishment. B-beaten black and fucking blue for betraying the gang. T-the more I tried to escape, the worse my treatment became. Eventually… the h-head… h-he… t-that’s when it all started. T-the abuse. I was treated like fucking _shit_ for years until he let me go. B-but for a price, because nothing, _nothing_ in my life has ever come fucking free. I-if I want to keep my freedom, k-keep my job as a doctor, t-then every year I have to go back to his fucking mansion in Dressrosa, and let him do whatever the fuck he wants to my body.”

“I’m so sorry Law.” Kid said with another tight squeeze of the man’s body.

“N-not your fault. His. It’s all _his_ fault. G-gods above he _still_ torments me. I-I can’t escape him Eustass-ya, I _can’t!_ N-next month, I-I’m supposed to visit him _next month!”_

Law sobbed, burying his face in Kid’s chest and as tears and shudders wrecked his body. “I got you.” Kid muttered into the other’s ear, gently rocking him from side to side. “I’m here Law. I’m here.”

Everything in the apartment was quiet save for the sniffling. The sounds of Law’s crying slowly petered out, and he indicated to Kid that he wanted to be let go. Kid’s arms slid from around his body while Law sat up, reaching out to the tissue box on the coffee table to pull one out. “Gods, I’m pathetic.” He mumbled to himself as he wiped the wetness away from his red-rimmed eyes. “I-I’m sorry, Eustass-ya.”

“The person you’re talking about,” Kid asked. “The head of the gang you were in. What’s his name?”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s not going to mean anything to you, anyway.” Law mumbled.

Kid was quiet, the gears in his head rotating from the influx of information that had been presented to him. His stormy eyes were completely focussed, narrowed and set in an unblinking stare as he thought over Law’s situation with a stony, serious expression on his face. His brow ridge was slightly furrowed, as if he were debating with himself about something. For a moment in that stretching silence, Law was terrified that he had ruined their relationship, and began second-guessing his decision to have told Kid anything about his life. Who would want to remain romantically involved with a person like Law after hearing all that shit?

Finally, Kid spoke. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.” He replied slowly. “I, uh, haven’t exactly been honest with you about somethin’ here. You… Law, you aren’t the only person in the room who was… part of a gang.”

Law’s eyes widened. “…What?” He whispered.

Kid licked his lips, reaching out to hold onto Law’s hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. “Don’t freak out at what I’m about to tell you, but yeah. I was in a gang back in the South Line. Worked for a woman who… kinda promised me the same sorta stuff you were promised. Food, family… power. She offered me a place in her world, and I accepted it ‘cause I had nothing else going for me. Dad was a deadbeat drunk, and mum had fucked right off and left me alone with him. I only had Kil, and what the gang was offerin’ me.”

“You… you’re joking,” Law muttered in disbelief.

Kid sighed heavily. “I wish I was. I know how bad that fuckin’ scene can be. I lived it myself. Kil and I were there for fucking years before realising we wanted out. But she wouldn’t let us. And you know what happens when gang leaders feel like their subordinates are disobeying them; the dish out the pain. You know why Kil wears masks all the time? It’s ‘cause she fucked up his face for speaking back at her. He’s got scars all over his mouth that’ll never go away because of that. She made me watch too, while she ripped his skin open with a knife before I got my own punishment.”

“Your back…” Law commented.

“ _‘Now you know what it feels like to be stabbed in the back’._ Those were her fuckin’ words to me, still remember them loud and clear. The only way Kil and I could leave was to get rid of her; so we did, by temporarily working with a new gang.” Kid sighed again, squeezing Law’s hand tightly. “I’ve done bad things Law. Fucking terrible things that I wish I could take back. I was a piece of shit human being when I was in that gang. I treated others like they were fuckin’ nothing, took what I want whenever the fuck I wanted. S’why I said we needed a safe word, cause I was fucking scared I’d hurt you the way I hurt the men and women I was with in the past. I don’t associate with any of the gangs anymore, but goddamn does that part of my life stick with me. I even… goddamn I even had some buddies try looking into _your_ fucking past because of how paranoid I fuckin’ was. I didn’t find this shit but damn did I feel sick with myself for even doin’ something like that again.”

“Eustass-ya…” Law mumbled, at a loss for words on what to say in response to that.

Kid continued. “When I left the South Line to come here with Kil, we wanted a fresh start on life. Franky was kind enough to take a chance on me by letting me work in his shop, even though my resume was bullshit. Kil’s found his own place in the world, happy as a clam working in that restaurant of Sanji’s. And… we both found love we ain’t ever had before. Kil found Peng, and Law, I found you.” Law’s breath hitched as Kid leaned forward. He pressed a kiss onto Law’s temple, lingering there for a moment before pulling away to speak again, seriousness laced in his voice. “I’m not in a gang, but what I learned from being in one still runs through my veins. Specifically, tyrants are going to keep exploiting their power to get what they want until someone stops them-”

“Kid, no,” Law interrupted quickly, heart skipping a beat as he realised what the other was about to say. “You can’t fight him, he’s too powerful-”

 _“I don’t care.”_ Kid hissed. “What that fucker’s doing to you is sick, and I’m not going to sit here and watch him destroy you all because he thinks he can get away with it. I’m going to fight for you Law, and you’re not going to stop me.”

“He’ll kill you!” Law shouted, voice shaky with fear as tears threatened to spill from his eyes again. “I can’t lose another person I care about to him, gods, _not again!_ I can’t lose _you_ Kid, I fucking _love you!”_

It was the first time Law had said it. The words that Kid had been so patiently waiting for, that had been a long time coming for the both of them. Law had mentioned to Kid before that he was falling for him deeply, that his feelings were in the realm of adoration and love; but he hadn’t admitted it aloud before. And fuck if it didn’t make everything more real, now that it was out in the open that Law was in love with Eustass fuckin’ Kid.

Reaching out to cup Law’s cheek, Kid drew the other in close. His eyes shone with new-found spirit and burning desire, as if Law’s admission had pumped within him strength and determination. “I love you too,” Kid said, his voice deep and unwavering. “I love you so much. And I’ll be damned if I sit around doing nothing while you’re made to suffer. I promise you Law, I am going to help you.”

“Promises are fragile,” Law whispered. “Even if you don’t mean to, they’ll break.”

“You have my fuckin’ word Law.” Kid replied softly. “Let Enel strike me down with his thunder if I break it.”

Law glanced away, his bottom lip quivering. This entire discussion was about how he trusted Kid with his life; how he believed his boyfriend would be able to save him from suffering his fate with Doflamingo. To turn away now after seeking out help would be foolish. “Okay…” Law finally said, lightly knocking his forehead against Kid’s. “I trust you, Eustass-ya.”

“Good. Now, tell me the fucker’s name.” Kid asked again.

“Donquixote Doflamingo.” A knowing look crossed Kid’s face, and the other pulled back slightly. “You know him?” Law asked.

“Not personally.” Kid admitted. “Just by reputation. He’s a bastard; it’ll feel grand as fuck knocking him down.”

“Please be careful Eustass-ya,” Law pleaded desperately. “Now that I have you… I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Some of the playfulness returned to Kid’s eyes as he smirked, the side of his lips quirking upward. “I ain’t going anywhere.” He told Law, voice harbouring utter confidence. “Sorry to tell ya, but you’re gonna be stuck with me from now on.”

Law managed a small huff of laughter, caressing the hand that still cupped his cheek. He was still terrified, still feeling the unsettled churnings of fear in his gut, but there was also a relief he hadn’t experienced before washing over him. An odd mixture of worry and peace, but Law was glad that the weight he had been carrying was slowly lifting off of his shoulders. While there was still the matter of the 15th of July creeping ever closer, and the danger of Doflamingo simmering in the air, there was also a sense of calm. Kid was that calm. He was going to be the rock that weathered the impending, violent storm.

“I love you.” Law said again, the confession flowing easily from his lips now, as if the walls of a dam had overflowed and opened up. “I love you very much, Eustass-ya.”

“And I love you too Law.”

“Show me.”

Kid’s eyes widened slightly at Law’s whispered words. His thumb paused its rubbing of Law’s cheeks, while Kid sought confirmation. “Are… are you sure you’re up for it?” He asked. “We could just sleep if you’re still not ready.”

Law nodded. “I know. I appreciate that you’re always thinking of me and how I’m feeling. But I’m ready now.” He said. “And I want you in every way I can have you.”

Kid growled lightly, the familiar rumbling in his throat a soothing sound. One of his arms snaked around Law’s hips, drawing the other into his lap while rubbing his hip. The blanket fell from Law’s shoulders, exposing his naked upper body that shuddered from the kiss of the cool air of his apartment. Kid’s fingers slowly trailed their way up to Law’s nipples, taking on between his pointer and his thumb and pressing down a light squeeze. Law shut his eyes, tilting his head forward so that it rested in the crook of Kid’s neck, already feeling himself becoming lost in the small fiery touches. 

“Then let me make this night one you won’t forget, beautiful.”

And by the hand of the gods in Mariejois themselves, was it a fucking night to remember.


End file.
